IOS SLB on what hardware?

Question

Hi,I've been trying to gather information on which hardware the Cisco IOS SLB(Server Load Balancing) software will run. The Cisco website suggests thatthe Cat6k and higher is supported, but those are really expensive platforms.I'm looking to run IOS SLB (or equivalent) on the smallest switch platformcapable of reasonanle capacity. Basically load-balancing proxy servers thatuse TCP (http) and UDP protocols.Can one run IOS SLB (or a smaller variant) on, say, a 2950 series switch?Regards,  -Tiaan.

Falk Stern · Accepted Answer

As far as the Cisco Website goes, it is only supported on 7200 Routers or Catalyst 6500 Switches (or 7600 Routers, which have the same hardware) (according to

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SLB would have to run on a router, Cat6k support it, because of the MSFC, which _is_ a router.

No. You will need a router for this. Another "cheap" possibility would be a Linux Server with ipvs installled

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Have a nice day,

Falk

Per Heldal · Answer

SLB, regardless of vendor, is a feature that require routing- capabilities. Although devices may be optimised for a certain function it is a general rule that a box with a certain feature need to implement some form of all functions below this feature in the protocol stack. Thus, you won't find ethernet switches (L2) that implement SLB-features (L4+) unless they also support basic path-selection and packet-forwarding (L3) functions. Cisco's Cat6k does support SLB though its MSFC which is a router, in fact the same route-processor you'll find in some of their

72xx/75xx/76xx boxes.

//Per

<tva · Answer

Hi,Aha... so I can run IOS SLB on a 2600-series router with two ethernetinterfaces? (See, I used to use Alteons for this functionality, hence thereason I was looking at switches).*nod* I've looked at this as a possible solution, but IOS SLB has some veryspecific functionality on the UDP side that we need.Regards,  -Tiaan.

IOS SLB on what hardware?

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