RFC 2391 (rfc2391) - Page 1 of 18

Load Sharing using IP Network Address Translation (LSNAT)

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Network Working Group                                       P. Srisuresh
Request for Comments: 2391                           Lucent Technologies
Category: Informational                                           D. Gan
                                                  Juniper Networks, Inc.
                                                             August 1998


       Load Sharing using IP Network Address Translation (LSNAT)

Status of this Memo

   This memo provides information for the Internet community.  It does
   not specify an Internet standard of any kind.  Distribution of this
   memo is unlimited.

Copyright Notice

   Copyright (C) The Internet Society (1998).  All Rights Reserved.

Preface

   This document combines the idea of address translation described in
   RFC 1631 with real-time load share algorithms to introduce Load Share
   Network Address Translators(or, simply LSNATs). LSNATs would
   transparently offload network load on a single server and distribute
   the load across a pool of servers.

Abstract

   Network Address Translators (NATs) translate IP addresses in a
   datagram, transparent to end nodes, while routing the datagram. NATs
   have traditionally been been used to allow private network domains to
   connect to Global networks using as few as one globally unique IP
   address.  In this document, we extend the use of NATs to offer Load
   share feature, where session load can be distributed across a pool of
   servers, instead of directing to a single server.  Load sharing is
   beneficial to service providers and system administrators alike in
   grappling with scalability of servers with increasing session load.

1. Introduction

   Traditionally, Network Address Translators, or simply NATs were used
   to connect private network domains to globally unique public domain
   IP networks. Applications originate in private domains and NATs would
   transparently translate datagrams belonging to these applications in






Srisuresh & Gan              Informational
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