Layer 7 (L7) Load Balancer/Application Load Balancer
Layer-7 load balancers operate at the application layer of the OSI model. They can make load balancing decisions based on content, including information such as URLs, HTTP headers, or cookies.
Key Features of Layer-7(L7) Load Balancer
- Application Layer: Operates at the application layer (HTTP, HTTPS).
- Content-Based Routing: Distributes traffic based on content-specific information.
- Advanced Routing: Can make intelligent routing decisions based on application-specific data.
- SSL Termination: Capable of terminating SSL connections.
Types of Load Balancer
Load Balancers distribute incoming network traffic across multiple servers to ensure optimal resource utilization, minimize response time, and prevent server overload. When it comes to load balancing, three primary types exist: software load balancers, hardware load balancers, and virtual load balancers.