Linux Virtual Server Load Balancer VS FortiADC

COMPARISON AMONG LINUX VIRTUAL SERVER LOAD BALANCER, FORTIADC AND RELIANOID LOAD BALANCER

What is LVS Load Balancer

A Linux Virtual Server (LVS) Load Balancer is a powerful and scalable solution built to efficiently manage and distribute network traffic across multiple backend systems. Integrated into the Linux kernel through the IP Virtual Server (IPVS) module, LVS functions at the transport layer, primarily handling TCP and UDP traffic. It balances incoming requests among several servers to improve application availability and system scalability, ensuring no individual server is overloaded. LVS supports multiple operation modes—such as NAT (Network Address Translation), DR (Direct Routing), and TUN (IP Tunneling)—offering flexible options for how traffic is managed and routed.

This type of load balancer is especially suitable for high-demand environments like large-scale websites, database clusters, or performance-intensive services. Its capacity to handle millions of concurrent connections makes it a reliable choice for enterprise infrastructures and data centers. Furthermore, LVS can be paired with high-availability tools such as Keepalived or Heartbeat to deliver redundancy and enable automatic failover in the event of hardware or software failures, guaranteeing service continuity. Its native compatibility with the Linux ecosystem empowers administrators to utilize open-source utilities while avoiding the expenses of commercial load balancing platforms.

What is FortiADC

FortiADC, Fortinet’s Application Delivery Controller, is a sophisticated solution crafted to deliver high availability, enhanced performance, and strong security for applications and services. Originating from the Coyote Point Load Balancer after Fortinet’s acquisition, FortiADC expands on its predecessor’s capabilities with a broad range of features designed for today’s application delivery demands. It offers Layer 4 and Layer 7 load balancing, global server load balancing (GSLB), SSL offloading, and advanced health checks to ensure smooth traffic management and reliable uptime. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with Fortinet’s security ecosystem, featuring a built-in Web Application Firewall (WAF) and protection against Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, providing a comprehensive solution for secure and dependable application delivery.

A major advantage of FortiADC is its blend of high performance and user-friendly deployment and management, a legacy of the Coyote Point Load Balancer. FortiADC further improves on this by incorporating advanced analytics, application optimization tools, and support for hybrid and multi-cloud setups. It is especially well-suited for enterprises aiming to simplify their application delivery processes while ensuring robust security. Through tight integration with Fortinet’s product portfolio, FortiADC enables organizations to efficiently scale and protect their infrastructure, representing a strong evolution of the original Coyote Point Load Balancer tailored for modern IT environments.

WHAT IS RELIANOID

RELIANOID as alternative to Linux Virtual Server Load Balancer and FortiADC across key ADC capabilities

When comparing RELIANOID with Linux Virtual Server (LVS) and FortiADC, it becomes clear that RELIANOID offers a superior blend of modern features, ease of use, and enterprise readiness. While LVS is known for its lightweight and kernel-level performance, it lacks L7 intelligence, a modern UI, and advanced security features, requiring deep networking expertise to operate effectively. FortiADC, although rich in security integration and DDoS mitigation, is often tied to Fortinet’s ecosystem, limiting deployment flexibility and increasing total cost of ownership. In contrast, RELIANOID combines high-performance L4-L7 load balancing with features like mTLS, HTTP/2/3 support, live configuration reloads, and detailed traffic insights—all within a vendor-agnostic, API-driven platform that runs seamlessly on Linux. This makes RELIANOID a powerful yet accessible solution for organizations that need scalable, secure, and flexible application delivery.