RFC 2391 (rfc2391) - Page 1 of 18
Load Sharing using IP Network Address Translation (LSNAT)
Alternative Format: Original Text Document
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