Service Mesh with Istio
Infrastructure layer that handles service-to-service communication, security, and observability in microservices.
High ComplexityTechnologies & Tools
IstioEnvoy ProxyKubernetesPrometheusGrafanaJaeger
Architecture Flow
1
Sidecar Injection
Inject Envoy proxy alongside each service
Istio OperatorKubernetes Mutating Webhook
2
Traffic Management
Route traffic based on policies and rules
Virtual ServicesDestination RulesTraffic Splitting
3
Security & Authentication
Handle mTLS and service authentication
mTLSService AccountsAuthorization Policies
4
Observability
Collect metrics, logs, and traces
PrometheusJaegerKiali
Use Cases
Complex microservices architectures
Multi-cluster deployments
Advanced traffic management
Security-first applications
Observability requirements
Pros
Advanced traffic management
Built-in security features
Comprehensive observability
Policy-based control
Multi-cluster support
Cons
High complexity
Resource overhead
Steep learning curve
Operational challenges
Vendor lock-in
When to Use
Large microservices deployments
Complex traffic patterns
Security requirements
Multi-cluster needs
Advanced observability
Alternatives
API GatewayDirect service communicationSimpler service mesh (Linkerd)Custom solutions
Performance Metrics
Latency
Very Low (microseconds)
Throughput
Very High (millions of requests/sec)
Scalability
Excellent
Reliability
Very High
Cost
High
Key Trade-offs
Complexity
High operational complexity and learning curve
Observability
Excellent visibility into service communication
Performance
Minimal latency overhead with sidecar proxy
Category Information
Category
Service Mesh
Complexity Level
High