Load balancing LDAP Servers
About LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)
LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is an open, cross-platform application protocol. It is designed to allow information to be shared regarding hosts, users, DNS, certificates, printers, and more in a network. A commonly used implementation is OpenLDAP, as well as Microsoft Active Directory which features LDAP support. LDAP can also be used with Kerberos to provide authentication services.
Key benefits of load balancing
Here are a few key benefits:
- Ensures the application is always available
- Provides a stable, optimal performance
- Uninterrupted uptime when performing upgrades/maintenance
How to load balance LDAP Servers
Loadbalancer.org appliances can be used in conjunction with a cluster of LDAP servers to provide a highly available LDAP service. Using load balancers also makes LDAP server maintenance easier, as well as making the service scalable should additional servers needed to be added in the future to increase capacity.
| Protocol | Role | Default Ports | Supported Load Balancing Methods |
| TCP/UCP/LDAP | For LDAP communication | 389 (or 3268 for Global Catalog access on a Microsoft AD server) | Layer 4 DR, Layer 4 NAT, Layer 7 TCP |
| TCP/UDP/LDAPS (“LDAP over SSL”) | For LDAP communication using TLS/SSL | 636 (or 3269 for Global Catalog access over TLS/SSL on a Microsoft AD server) | Layer 4 DR, Layer 4 NAT, Layer 7 TCP |
