Provide a way to remove/install without kube-proxy

[Cajga]

What would you like to be added: We would like to be able to remove the kube-proxy (OR install cluster without it at the first place) in a way how EKS-A will not reinstall/try to manage it so, we can use Cilium community in a kube-proxy replacement mode.

Why is this needed: Due to several limitations/missing features in the bundled Cilium, we are replacing it with the community version of Cilium. We would like to start to use the community Cilium's Gateway API implementation for ingress. This requires Cilium to be in kube-proxy replacement mode. That in turn requires us to remove the kube-proxy daemonset from the nodes after installation so, Cilium can replace it with it's own solution.

We may be able to remove the daemonset already (kubectl -n kube-system delete ds kube-proxy) but I guess EKS-A should be aware of this so, it will not try to reinstall it during an upgrade (or while using gitops).

[Cajga]

Note: this will also prevent Cilium Enterprise users to use several important features of Cilium.

[RazaGR]

@chrisdoherty4 any plan to idea how to implement this?

[thecloudgarage]

Any update of how do we configure kube proxy replacement especially for Cilium Gateway API