Server Load Balancing; Overview; A Server Load Balancing Configuration - D-Link NetDefend DFL-210 User Manual

10.3. Server Load Balancing

10.3. Server Load Balancing

10.3.1. Overview

The Server Load Balancing (SLB) feature in NetDefendOS is a powerful tool that can improve the
following aspects of network applications:
• Performance
• Scalability
• Reliability
• Ease of administration
SLB allows network service demands to be shared among multiple servers. This improves both the
performance and the scalability applications by allowing a cluster of multiple servers (sometimes
called a "server farm") to handle many more requests than a single server. The image below illus-
trates a typical SLB scenario, with internet access to applications being controlled by a D-Link Fire-
wall.
Figure 10.5. A Server Load Balancing configuration
Besides improving performance, SLB increases the reliability of network applications by actively
monitoring the servers sharing the load. SLB can detect when a server fails or becomes congested
and will not direct any further requests to that server until it recovers or has less load.
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Chapter 10. Traffic Management