Network Load Balancer

advanced
networking
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Definition

AWS's ultra-high performance Layer 4 load balancer that handles millions of requests per second with ultra-low latency. Like an express highway toll plaza that processes cars at lightning speed.

Real-World Example

A gaming company uses Network Load Balancer to handle millions of player connections with minimal lag, routing traffic based on IP and port.

Cloud Provider Equivalencies

All are Layer 4 load balancers for TCP/UDP traffic. AWS NLB and OCI NLB focus on very high throughput and low latency with static IP support. Azure Standard Load Balancer is the closest Azure equivalent for L4. On GCP, choose TCP/SSL Proxy for managed proxy-based L4 (terminates connections) or the passthrough Network Load Balancer for preserving client IP and forwarding traffic without proxying.

AWS
Elastic Load Balancing - Network Load Balancer (NLB)
AZ
Azure Load Balancer (Standard)
GCP
Cloud Load Balancing - TCP/SSL Proxy Load Balancer and Network Load Balancer (passthrough)
OCI
OCI Network Load Balancer

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