Summary #

SecureSchool, ISBossBox, and LibraryDoor have an add-on feature to support splitting outgoing traffic between two connections.  This article describes the requirements for the feature, how the feature works and the benefits of it.

More Information #

The Load Balancer feature allows the appliance to be connected to two different Internet connections at once, and balance traffic between them.  To do this, we will send you an additional network card to install in the appliance.  If you are a new customer without an appliance, we will install the network card in our office for you.  The Internet connections can be different types and different speeds.  For example, one can be a bonded 4xT1 connection, and the other can be a cable modem.

Once the appliance is setup and configured, all outgoing connections are split between the two Internet connections.  There are also provisions for always sending traffic for one particular site out a particular connection.  This is useful for subscription based sites that allow access based on IP addresses.

This feature could help you lower your total bandwidth costs.  For example, if you have one 4xT1 connection for an Internet connection and it’s used up all it’s available bandwidth, but can’t afford to upgrade to a T3 circuit but need to retain the large block of IP addresses you get with it, you could use this feature to add an inexpensive cable modem connection and add more then double the bandwidth.  In some areas, you could even use two cables modems with the load balancer.  (This depends what the total bandwidth available on the cable network is.  For example, in some older areas a single cable modem may be able to peak to 10Mbps, but the total bandwidth available to the neighborhood is 10Mbps as well.)