Routing Overview
CyberEdge provides a range of routing capabilities to address diverse network needs. It supports static routing for predefined path selection and dynamic routing protocols like BGP for automatic route adjustments based on network changes. Policy-based routing enables traffic management according to specific policies, ensuring efficient utilization of network resources. Furthermore, load balancing features distribute traffic across multiple connections, enhancing network performance. Failover mechanisms allow continuous network accessability by automatically switching to alternative network connections in the event of a failure, improving network reliability and availability.
Balance and Failover
CyberEdge Balance and Failover enable you to configure and manage multiple internet connections. Load balancing distributes network traffic across multiple network paths to optimize resource use, improve performance, and prevent any single connection from becoming a bottleneck. Failover ensures continuous network service by automatically routing traffic over alternative network paths in the events of a default connection failure. Together, load balancing and failover enhance the reliability, availability, and efficiency of network connections.
Default & Unused Connections
When a new network connection is created with a gateway address, it becomes available for use within the Balance & Failover configuration. By default, newly created network connections with a configured gateway are added to "Unused Connections" to prevent incomplete network connections from being accidentally set as a default connection or added incorrectly to the load balancer. Once a network connection is ready for use, it will be moved from "Unused Connections" to "Default Connections". Any network connection moved to "Default Connections" will become the default route for the network, unless a static route or Routing Policy exists.
Note
If no network connections are added to the "Default Connections", the first connection listed in "Unused Connections" will be used as the default route.
Load Balancing
When two or more network connections are added to "Default Connections", they will be automatically set in a Load Balancing configuration. A weighting can then be configured on each connection to determine how connections will be distributed. The weighting is a percentage-based control that determines how traffic is distributed through each network connection, with higher percentages resulting in more traffic being routed through the connection. Where a single network connection in a load balancer fails, the weighting assigned to the failed connection will be redistributed to the next highest weighted connection. To configure Load Balancing, navigate to:
- Routing > Balance & Failover
- Drag the required network connection into "Default Connection"
- Configure the desired weighting for the connection
- Click “Save”
- Click “Save changes ready to apply”
- Click “Applies all pending changes” > “Apply Changes”
Tip
- When load balancing connections of different speeds, such as 1x 1000Mbps and 1x 100Mbps, it is recommended to set the weighting to reflect the speeds of the connections. In this example, you should set the 100Mbps network connection to a weighting of 10% or less
- When two or more network connections are added to default connections, the load balancing configuration will be automatically created
Failover Connections
Failover connection groups support automated network failover when "Default Connections" are unavailable. Network connections configured in failover groups are only utilized in the event of a failure or when traffic is specifically routed to that connection using static or policy-based routes. For a failover event to occur, all network connections in Default Connections group must be marked as down based on automated test host failures. During a failover event, traffic default route to the first Failover Connection group. Once one or more
To configure a Failover Connection Group, navigate to:
- Routing > Balance & Failover > New Failover Group
- Once created, drag the network connection into the required Failover Connection group
- Click “Save”
- Click “Save changes ready to apply”
- Click “Applies all pending changes” > “Apply Changes”
Info
Multiple failover groups can be created to support cascading failover if needed. In this scenario, network connections will be utilized in the specified order. If a network connection in a higher group or within the default connections becomes active, the system will revert to using the higher-priority connection.