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How To Run Kubernetes in Air Gapped Networks
Govardhana M K
August 05, 2025
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IN TODAY'S EDITION
🧠 Use Case
How To Run Kubernetes in Air Gapped Networks
🚀 Top News
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📚️ Resources
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🧠 USE CASE
How To Run Kubernetes in Air Gapped Networks
For someone who is new to air gap environments, it is a security measure where a network or system is physically isolated from other networks, including the internet, to prevent unauthorized access.
In air gapped environments, you cannot pull container images on demand or reach public Helm repositories. Every artifact must be explicitly packaged, shipped, and verified. The best combination for this is Talos OS and Zarf.
Talos OS is a minimal, immutable OS for Kubernetes with no shell or SSH.
Zarf packages container images, charts, and files into air gap-ready bundles.
Implementation Architecture
1. Package Creation:
In a network connected setting, 𝘻𝘢𝘳𝘧 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 is used to assemble Zarf packages, bundling all essential deployment artifacts.
2. Secure Transfer:
These Zarf packages (.tar.zst) are then securely conveyed to the air gapped zone utilizing secure transfer methods, ensuring the environment where Talos operates is safeguarded.
3. Deployment by Talos:
Use
zarf package deployfrom a Talos compatible host.Talos API unpacks the package, loads images via containerd, and starts kubelet to create pods.
Why This Works?
Talos ensures immutable, locked down nodes.
Zarf solves dependency and packaging challenges.
No internet needed at runtime.