Prerequisites #

• Microsoft Hyper-V Environment:
  • Ensure Hyper-V is installed and operational on Windows Server.
  • Have access to Hyper-V Manager or Windows Admin Center.
• Load Balancer Virtual Appliance:
  • Download the virtual load balancer image in VHD/VHDX or ISO format (e.g., RELIANOID, HAProxy, NGINX Plus, or another appliance).
• Resources:
  • Adequate CPU, RAM, and storage for the virtual load balancer.
• Networking:
  • Pre-configured Hyper-V virtual switches (External/Internal).
  • Static IP address for management.
• Permissions:
  • Administrator access to the Windows Server hosting Hyper-V.

Step 1: Access the Hyper-V Environment #

1. Open Hyper-V Manager from Windows Administrative Tools.
2. Connect to the local or remote Hyper-V host.
3. Verify the host status is healthy.

Step 2: Create a New Virtual Machine #

1. In Hyper-V Manager, click New > Virtual Machine.
2. The New Virtual Machine Wizard will start.
3. Click Next.

Step 3: Specify Name and Location #

1. Assign a name to the virtual machine (e.g., LB-HyperV-01).
2. Optionally define a custom storage location.
3. Click Next.

Step 4: Specify Generation #

1. Select the VM generation:
   • Generation 1: BIOS-based systems.
   • Generation 2: UEFI-based systems (recommended if supported).
2. Click Next.

Step 5: Assign Memory #

1. Define startup memory according to appliance requirements.
2. Enable Dynamic Memory if supported.
3. Click Next.

Step 6: Configure Networking #

1. Select an existing Virtual Switch for the first network adapter.
2. This interface is usually used for Management or Frontend traffic.
3. Additional network adapters can be added after deployment.
4. Click Next.

Step 7: Connect Virtual Hard Disk #

1. Choose one of the following:
   • Use an existing VHD/VHDX file.
   • Create a new virtual disk if installing from ISO.
2. Ensure sufficient disk capacity.
3. Click Next.

Step 8: Installation Options #

1. Attach an installation ISO if required.
2. Skip this step when using a pre-installed virtual disk.
3. Click Next.

Step 9: Finalize Virtual Machine Creation #

1. Review the configuration summary.
2. Click Finish to create the virtual machine.

Step 10: Initial Configuration of the Load Balancer #

Access the Virtual Appliance #

1. Right-click the VM and select Connect.
2. Start the virtual machine.
3. Identify the management IP address assigned via DHCP or configure a static IP.

Configure Basic Settings #

1. Access the appliance using SSH or a web-based interface.
2. Configure:
   • Hostname
   • Static IP address, subnet mask, and gateway
   • DNS servers
3. Save and apply the configuration.

Step 11: Configure Load Balancer Functionality #

Backend Pool Configuration #

1. Add backend server IP addresses and service ports.

Frontend Listener Configuration #

1. Define VIP addresses, protocols, and listening ports.

Health Checks #

1. Configure HTTP, HTTPS, or TCP health monitoring.

SSL/TLS Settings (if applicable) #

1. Upload certificates and configure termination or passthrough.

Load Balancing Algorithms #

1. Select an algorithm such as Round Robin or Least Connections.

Step 12: Cluster Deployment with Two Virtualized Nodes #

To ensure high availability and fault tolerance, deploy the load balancer as a two-node virtual cluster.

Cluster Architecture #

• Deploy two identical virtual machines on separate Hyper-V hosts.
• Ensure identical resource allocation and network configuration.
• Enable configuration synchronization.

High Availability and Failover #

• Configure a dedicated synchronization interface.
• Define a floating Virtual IP (VIP).
• Ensure automatic failover.

State Synchronization #

• Synchronize sessions and configuration data.
• Isolate synchronization traffic on a dedicated network.

Step 13: Security Architecture with IPDS and MFA #

Network-Level Security with IPDS #

• Inspect inbound and outbound traffic.
• Detect and block network-based attacks.
• Apply rate limiting and anomaly detection.

Application-Level Security #

• Protect against application-layer attacks such as SQL injection and XSS.
• Apply per-service security rules.
• Log and monitor security events.

Authentication and Access Control with MFA #

• Enable multi-factor authentication for administrative access.
• Integrate with LDAP, Active Directory, or RADIUS.
• Apply role-based access control (RBAC).

Step 14: Testing and Validation #

1. Ping the management IP.
2. Access the VIP from a client.
3. Verify traffic distribution.
4. Test failover scenarios.
5. Review security logs.

Step 15: Backup and Monitoring #

1. Create Hyper-V checkpoints after configuration.
2. Schedule regular configuration backups.
3. Integrate with monitoring and SIEM platforms.

Following these steps enables the deployment of a secure, highly available, and enterprise-ready virtual load balancer architecture on Microsoft Hyper-V.