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DNS load balancing and Hardware load balancing

DNS load balancing and hardware load balancing are two different methods for effectively distributing traffic between servers. They help increase reliability and provide simple and fast access to online services. However, which one is best for you and your online business? Read on to better understand these methods, explore their benefits, and help you choose the right path for seamless online experiences. So let’s get started!

Why do we need load balancing?

With the massive increase in internet traffic every year, it becomes difficult to provide continuous service to millions of customers without certain interruptions. To this end, you should implement a load balancing model that will reduce the load caused by countless users trying to access your website or use your application.

Another reason why you should use load balancing is the increasing number of DDoS attacks. To avoid them, you will need to spread the traffic to as many servers as possible. Thus, their joint efforts can resist the high traffic wave.

DNS load balancing explained

DNS load balancing is a technique that distributes incoming web traffic between multiple DNS servers by associating a domain name with multiple IP addresses (IPv4 and IPv6). When users request a domain, DNS servers provide different IP addresses based on DNS Round-Robin style or other algorithms that help spread the load efficiently. Thus, traffic is distributed among multiple servers, preventing any server from becoming overloaded and maintaining overall service availability.

Advantages of DNS load balancing

Some of the main advantages of DNS load balancing are:

  • It is easily done: This does not require special hardware and can be done just by configuring DNS records. This makes it a great choice for businesses of all sizes.
  • Geographical Distribution: It can also be used to direct users to servers in different geographic locations. As a result, it improves performance by reducing latency for users located in different parts of the world.
  • Scalability: Adding or removing servers from a load balancing pool is a relatively easy and straightforward process. This makes it suitable for applications that experience fluctuating traffic levels.

Disadvantages of DNS load balancing

Before applying this technique, you should consider a few things:

  • TTL Effect: DNS records contain a Time-To-Live (TTL) value that determines how long a DNS response is cached. Changing load balancing configurations may take time to propagate due to the caching mechanism.
  • Limited Monitoring: No real-time awareness of server health. If the server becomes unavailable, DNS will still forward traffic to it until the DNS cache expires. To avoid this, you can implement the Monitoring service, which will help you quickly identify potential problems.

 

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Hardware Load Balancer (HLB)

HLBs first appeared in the late 90s. They are hardware, which means you have to buy the device and connect it to your network. Hardware Load Balancing (HLB) depending on the servers’ processing power, connections, resource usage, or randomly distributes traffic between multiple servers.

Hardware load balancers are implemented on Layer4 (Transport layer) and Layer7 (Application layer). At Layer4, TCP, UDP, and SCTP use transport layer protocol details to decide which server to send data to.

Featured article: A Comprehensive Guide to TCP Monitoring and UDP Monitoring

At Layer7, the hardware forms an ADN (Application Delivery Network) and forwards requests to servers according to the type of content.

Advantages of hardware load balancing

The main advantages of hardware load balancing are:

  • Advanced Features: Hardware load balancers can perform complex traffic distribution algorithms that take into account factors such as server health, response time, and content-based routing, resulting in more efficient traffic distribution.
  • Real-time monitoring: These devices continuously monitor server health and network conditions, allowing immediate traffic rerouting in the event of a server failure or high load.
  • Improved Scalability: Hardware load balancers can handle large amounts of traffic and provide seamless scalability for growing services.

Disadvantages of hardware load balancing

Here are some drawbacks or things to consider when choosing this method for load balancing:

  • Cost and complexity: Implementing hardware load balancing requires significant investment in dedicated hardware devices and ongoing maintenance, which can be prohibitive for small and medium-sized businesses. Configuration and management can be complex, especially for organizations without specialized network professionals.
  • Single point of failure: Although hardware load balancers increase server availability, they can become a single point of failure. A properly developed configuration is often necessary to mitigate this risk.

DNS load balancing and Hardware load balancing

We will compare them under two conditions, with a single data center and with cross data center load balancing.

In the first scenario, both are very competitive. The main difference is the price. A DNS load balancer can be more affordable because it’s usually offered as a subscription. In the case of HLB, you have to buy it, and upgrades can be very expensive if you need more power in the future. DNS service can be simplified by upgrading to another plan.

In the second scenario with a cross-data center, things are similar. Global server load balancing with HLB becomes very expensive because you need to properly provision each of your data centers.

From a global perspective, DNS has a clear advantage over HLB in terms of load balancing measurement and cost. The DNS option has better redundancy and easy recovery.
Another advantage of DNS load balancing is storage costs. DNS services are mostly offered as managed DNS, so less maintenance is required.

Which one should you choose?

Choosing between DNS load balancing and hardware load balancing depends largely on the specific needs and resources of your business.

DNS load balancing is generally more cost-effective and easier to implement, making it ideal for small to medium-sized businesses or those with inconsistent traffic levels. Its scalability and ability to route traffic based on geographic location provides a significant advantage for globally distributed user bases. However, it is important to consider limitations such as the impact of TTL on configuration changes and the lack of real-time server health monitoring, which can actually be compensated for by implementing the ClouDNS monitoring service. Despite these drawbacks, DNS load balancing offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for many online services.

On the other hand, hardware load balancing is more suitable for enterprises that require advanced features and powerful real-time monitoring capabilities. The hardware solution offers more sophisticated traffic distribution algorithms taking into account server health and network conditions to optimize performance. Although the initial investment and complexity in installation and maintenance is higher, hardware load balancers provide increased scalability and reliability for handling large volumes of traffic. They are particularly useful for applications that require high availability and minimal latency.

Ultimately, your decision should take into account costs, the desired level of control, and specific performance requirements to ensure a seamless and efficient online experience for your users.

The result

Both DNS load balancing and hardware load balancing offer a good solution for traffic distribution. Which one to choose depends on your company’s needs. How much control would you like to have? How much can you invest? do you like a subscription model with small monthly payments or you would you rather invest more than a few years to get the highest performance?

We recommend trying a DNS cloud-based load balancer like GeoDNS.
It is cost-effective, easily scalable; you can use multiple geolocation target options and be protected from DDoS attacks.

You can then combine it with your own hardware load balancer and create a hybrid for your specific needs.

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Hi, I’m Martin Pramatarov. I have two degrees, Computer Networking Technician and MBA (Master of Business Administration). My passion is telling stories, but I can’t hide myself either. I have never forgotten my interest in the world of high technology. I have 10 years and thousands of articles on DNS, cloud services, hosting, domain names, cryptocurrencies, hardware, software, AI, and everything in between. I’ve seen the digital revolution, the big migration to the cloud, and I’m eager to write about all the exciting new tech trends in the coming years. AI and Big Data are already here and they will completely change the world!

I hope you enjoy my articles and the excellent services of ClouDNS!

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About the Author
Gary Belcher
Gary Belcher is an accomplished Data Scientist with a background in computer science from MIT. With a keen focus on data analysis, machine learning, and predictive modeling, Gary excels at transforming raw data into actionable insights. His expertise spans across various industries, where he leverages advanced algorithms and statistical methods to solve complex problems. Passionate about innovation and data-driven decision-making, Gary frequently contributes his knowledge through insightful articles and industry talks.