class=element-to-stretch src=/v1.20/blog/2020/new-deployment-model/multiple-clusters-external-Istiod.svg alt="Multicluster Istio mesh with Istiod outside"></a></div><figcaption>Multicluster Istio mesh with Istiod in an external control plane cluster</figcaption></figure><p>Mesh operators can further expand this deployment model to manage multiple Istio control planes from an external cluster running multiple Istiod control planes:</p><figure style=width:100%><div class=wrapper-with-intrinsic-ratio style=pad