Load Balancing HTTP with WLBS

ID: Q219277

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
  • Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
  • Windows NT Load Balancing Service

SUMMARY

This article explains how to load balance traffic to Web servers using Windows NT Load Balancing Service (WLBS).


MORE INFORMATION

To load balance traffic to Web servers, perform the following steps:

  1. Web servers typically listen on port 80. Configure one port rule on all cluster hosts for a port range of 80 to 80 and select Both for protocols (TCP and UDP).


  2. Click to select Multiple Hosts. Affinity should be set to None, unless the Web server maintains client state in its memory, in which case Affinity must be set to either Single or Class C.


If you want to load balance HTTP over SSL (encrypted Web traffic), a rule needs to be configured for this type of traffic; usually, the port is 443. Follow these steps:
  1. Set up a rule for a port range of 443 to 443, both TCP and UDP.


  2. Set Affinity to either Single or Class C to ensure that the client connections are always handled by the server that has the SSL session established.


For additional information about how to configure port rules, please see the following article(s) in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q198496 How to Configure WLBS Port Rules

Additional query words: convoy load balancing

Keywords : kbnetwork
Version : winnt:4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo


Last Reviewed: March 2, 1999
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