Designing Network Load Balancing

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Many of your deployments will include mission-critical applications and services. The servers that host your applications and services must be able to support projected increases in the number of users, and they must ensure that users can access mission-critical applications. To fulfill these requirements, your solution must be highly available and scalable. Network Load Balancing (NLB) improves availability and scalability in your solutions by distributing application load across multiple servers.

In This Chapter

Overview of the NLB Design Process

Identifying Applications That Benefit from NLB

Determining the Core Specifications in the NLB Design

Securing NLB Solutions

Scaling NLB Solutions

Ensuring Availability in NLB Solutions

Additional Resources for Designing Network Load Balancing