IP Virtual Server

IPVS (IP Virtual Server) implements transport-layer <a href="/facts/Load_balancing_(computing)/jddk6ang">load balancing</a>, usually called <a href="/facts/Layer_4/UmIGUCeK">Layer 4</a> <a href="/facts/LAN_switching/CnvmhNYT">LAN switching</a>, as part of the <a href="/facts/Linux_kernel/dlkduHuA">Linux kernel</a>. It's configured via the user-space utility <a href="https://man.cx/?page=ipvsadm(8)">ipvsadm(8)</a> tool.
IPVS is incorporated into the <a href="/facts/Linux_Virtual_Server/qz9cHbtj">Linux Virtual Server</a> (LVS), where it runs on a host and acts as a load balancer in front of a cluster of real servers. IPVS can direct requests for TCP- and UDP-based services to the real servers, and make services of the real servers appear as virtual services on a single <a href="/facts/IP_address/z9V22Sw9">IP address</a>. IPVS is built on top of <a href="/facts/Netfilter/M3rtyl3r">Netfilter</a>.
IPVS is merged into versions 2.4.x and newer of the Linux kernel mainline.

IP Virtual Server open-in-new

IP Virtual Server