Architecture
Components, their Purpose, and Languages
Meshery and its components are written using the following languages and technologies.
| Components | Languages and Technologies |
|---|---|
| Meshery Server | Golang, gRPC, GraphQL, SMP |
| Meshery Adapters | Golang, gRPC, CloudEvents, SMI, OAM |
| Meshery WASM Filters | Rust and C++ |
| Meshery UI | ReactJS, NextJS, BillboardJS |
| Meshery Provider UI | ReactJS, NextJS |
| Meshery Remote Providers | any - must adhere to Meshery Extension Points |
| Meshery Operator | Golang |
| MeshSync | Golang |
| Broker | Golang, NATS |
| Meshery Database | Golang, SQLlite |
Deployments
Meshery deploys as a set of containers. Meshery’s containers can be deployed to either Docker or Kubernetes. Meshery components connect to one another via gRPC requests. Meshery Server stores the location of the other components and connects with those components as needed. Typically, a connection from Meshery Server to Meshery Adapters is initiated from a client request (usually either mesheryctl or Meshery UI) to gather information from the Adapter or invoke an Adapter’s operation.
Adapters
In Meshery v0.6.0, Adapters will register with Meshery Server over HTTP POST. If Meshery Server is not available, Meshery Adapters will backoff and retry to connect to Meshery Server perpetually.
Figure: Meshery deploys inside or outside of a Kubernetes cluster
Adapters and Capabilities Registry
Each Meshery Adapter delivers its own unique service mesh-specific functionality. As such, at time of deployment, the Meshery Adapter will register its service mesh-specific capabilities (its operations) with Meshery Server’s capability registry.
Figure: Service Mesh Adapter Operation Registration
Clients
Meshery’s REST API may be consumed by any number of clients. Clients need to present valid JWT token.
Figure: Clients use Meshery’s REST API, GraphQL API, or a combination of both.
Providers
As a point of extension, Meshery supports two types of providers: Local and Remote.
Object Model
This diagram outlines logical constructs within Meshery and their relationships.
Meshery Operator and MeshSync
Meshery Operator is the multi-service mesh operator (a Kubernetes custom controller) that manages MeshSync and it’s messaging broker.
See the Operator section for more information on the function of an operator and MeshSync section for more information on the function of meshsync.
Database
Meshery Server’s database is responsible for collecting and centralizing the state of all elements under management, including infrastructure, application, and Meshery’s own components. Meshery’s database, while persisted to file, is treated as a cache.
See the Database section for more information on the function of the database.
Statefulness in Meshery components
Some components within Meshery’s architecture are concerned with persisting data while others are only concerned with a long-lived configuration, while others have no state at all.
| Components | Persistence | Description |
|---|---|---|
| mesheryctl | stateless | command line interface that has a configuration file |
| Meshery Adapters | stateless | interface with service meshes on a transactional basis |
| Meshery Server | caches state | application cache is stored in $HOME/.meshery/ folder |
| Meshery Providers | stateful | location of persistent user preferences, environment, tests and so on |
| Meshery Operator | stateless | operator of Meshery custom controllers, notably MeshSync |
| MeshSync | stateless | Kubernetes custom controller, continuously running discovery |
Network Ports
Meshery uses the following list of network ports to interface with its various components:
| Component | Port | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Meshery Server | 9081/tcp | UI, REST and GraphQL APIs |
| Meshery Server | 80/tcp | Websocket |
| Meshery Broker | 4222/tcp | Client communication with Meshery Server |
| Meshery Broker | 8222/tcp | HTTP management port for monitoring Meshery Broker. Available as of Meshery v0.5.0 |
| Meshery Broker | 6222/tcp | Routing port for Broker clustering. Unused as of Meshery v0.6.0-rc-2 |
| Meshery Broker | 7422/tcp | Incoming/outgoing leaf node connections. Unused as of Meshery v0.6.0-rc-2 |
| Meshery Broker | 7522/tcp | Gateway to gateway communication. Unused as of Meshery v0.6.0-rc-2 |
| Meshery Broker | 7777/tcp | used for Prometheus NATS Exporter. Unused as of Meshery v0.6.0-rc-2 |
| Learn Layer5 Application | 10011/tcp | SMI conformance testing |
| Meshery Remote Providers | 443/tcp | e.g. Meshery Cloud |
 Meshery Adapter for App Mesh |
10005/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Cilium Service Mesh |
10012/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Consul |
10002/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Citrix Service Mesh |
10008/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Istio |
10000/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Kuma |
10007/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Linkerd |
10001/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for NGINX Service Mesh |
10010/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Network Service Mesh |
10004/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Open Service Mesh |
10009/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Tanzu Service Mesh |
10011/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
 Meshery Adapter for Traefik Mesh |
10006/gRPC | Communication with Meshery Server |
| Meshery Perf | 10013/gRPC | Performance Management |
See the Adapters section for more information on the function of an adapter.