Layer-4(L4) Load Balancer (Network Layer Load Balancer)
Layer-4 load balancers operate at the transport layer of the OSI model. They make forwarding decisions based on information available in network layer protocols (such as IP addresses and port numbers).
Key Features of Layer-4(L4) Load Balancer:
- Transport Layer: Operates at the transport layer (TCP/UDP).
- Basic Load Balancing: Distributes traffic based on IP addresses and port numbers.
- Efficiency: Faster processing as it doesn’t inspect the content of the data packets.
- Network Address Translation (NAT): Can perform basic NAT to hide server addresses.
Use Cases of Layer-4(L4) Load Balancer:
- Ideal for distributing traffic based on network information like IP addresses and port numbers.
- Suited for scenarios where content inspection is not a primary requirement.
Layer-4(L4), Layer-7(L7), and GSLB Load Balancers
Load balancers play a critical role in distributing network or application traffic across multiple servers to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and scalability. Layer-4 (L4), Layer-7 (L7), and Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) are different types of load balancing mechanisms designed to address various needs within network architectures.
Table of Content
- Layer-4(L4) Load Balancer (Network Layer Load Balancer)
- Layer-7(L7) Load Balancer (Application Layer Load Balancer)
- GSLB (Global Server Load Balancer) a.k.a. Multi-site Load Balancer
- Layer-4(L4) Load Balancer vs Layer-7(L7) Load Balancer
- Layer-7(L7) vs. GSLB load balancers
- Layer-4(L4) vs. GSLB load balancers
- Layer-4(L4) vs. Layer-7(L7) vs. GSLB load balancers