IPvlan is a software-only virtual network interface that lets multiple containers or network namespaces share a single physical NIC while each appearing with its own IP address. It is commonly used by Docker, Kubernetes, and other container runtimes as an alternative to bridges and macvlan, particularly where a single MAC address per host is preferred.
It should stay because IPvlan is a widely-used virtual networking feature, not hardware support, and it underpins modern container networking. Docker documents it as a current network driver option, and the kernel still received bug-fix backports as recently as 2026, showing it is actively maintained.
repository signals
6files
2,587source lines
53commits, 5y
+242 / −165lines added / removed, 5y
35authors, 5y
monthly commits · 2021-04-21 → 2026-04-21 · 53 total · active in 36/61 months
IPvlan received a real bug-fix backport in 2026 ('ipvlan: Make the addrs_lock be per port'), showing active upstream maintenance rather than abandonment.
Kernel documentation describes IPvlan as a virtual networking driver/mode for containers and namespace-style deployments, indicating an active software use case rather than tied physical hardware.
Docker documents IPvlan as a current network driver option, evidence of ongoing modern deployments in container environments.
codex reasoning notes (technical)
`drivers/net/ipvlan` is a real in-kernel virtual netdevice driver, not hardware-specific silicon support; local source inspection via `exec_command` showed 'Makefile for the Ethernet Ipvlan driver' and net_device-based code. Lore evidence came from `lore_file_timeline` on `drivers/net/ipvlan/ipvlan_main.c`, which showed heavy 2021-2026 traffic and a 2026 stable backport URL cited above. Deployment evidence uses canonical recall URLs for current kernel docs and Docker docs. Because this is actively maintained virtual networking code with present-day container use, deprecation/removal is not indicated.