Prerequisite

• Install AWS Load Balancer Controller: This controller is essential for managing AWS load balancers in a Kubernetes environment.

Step 1: Enable Proxy Protocol in NLB Target Group

• Add the following annotation to your NLB Target Group to enable the Proxy Protocol:

  service.beta.kubernetes.io/aws-load-balancer-proxy-protocol: "*"

This ensures that the NLB forwards the original client's IP address along with other connection information.

Step 2: Configure Nginx Ingress Controller

Modify the values.yaml file of the Nginx Ingress Controller with the following settings:

• use-forwarded-headers: "true": This instructs Nginx to use the X-Forwarded-* headers, which may contain the client's original IP address as forwarded by the NLB.

• use-proxy-protocol: true: Configures the Nginx Ingress Controller to expect and handle the Proxy Protocol header, including the original client IP, from the NLB.

• enable-real-ip: true: Activates the real_ip module in Nginx, allowing it to replace the client IP address (which would appear as the NLB's IP) with the one specified in the X-Forwarded-For or X-Real-IP headers.