Server Load Balancing; Overview - D-Link NetDefendOS User Manual

10.4. Server Load Balancing

10.4.1. Overview

The Server Load Balancing (SLB) feature allows the administrator to spread client application
requests over a number of servers using either an IP Rule with an Action of SLB_SAT or using an
SLB Policy object. This section describes both methods.
SLB is a powerful tool that can improve the following aspects of network applications:
• Performance
• Scalability
• Reliability
• Ease of administration
The principle SLB benefit of sharing the load across multiple servers can improve not just the
performance of applications but also scalability by facilitating the implementation of a cluster of
servers (sometimes referred to as a server farm) that can handle many more requests than a
single server.
The illustration below shows a typical SLB scenario, with Internet access to internal server
applications by external clients being managed by a NetDefend Firewall.
Note: SLB is not available on all NetDefend models
The SLB feature is not available on the DFL-260E.
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Chapter 10: Traffic Management