The Ethernets used with the load balancing device must be connected to a Layer 2 switch and must be on the same VLAN in the switch. There are no additional requirements for the switch, nor are there any requirements for any other systems connected to the switch in order to send packets to the load balancing device. However, only one type may be configured to a single load balancing device. They cannot be mixed. NLBS confidently delivers these features across multiple Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet devices and enables customers to grow their networks incrementally while maintaining the equity of the existing hardware and software.
Traffic is balanced automatically and requires no special adapter or switch configuration.
NLBS collects multiple Ethernet ports, each of which has been configured with a unique IP address. Once configured, the server and clients need to be connected by a Layer 2 switch. NLBS is not required on the clients and does not necessitate special client or switch configuration. NLBS has been lab tested and found to be interoperable with a wide variety of third-party networking switches. Load balancing, bandwidth aggregation, and adapter fault tolerance are mission-critical features that customers require in their networks.