Microsoft Network Load Balancer VS AWS Load Balancer

COMPARISON AMONG MICROSOFT NETWORK, AWS AND RELIANOID LOAD BALANCER

What is Microsoft Network Load Balancer

Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB) is a built-in capability in Windows Server that improves application performance and uptime by spreading incoming traffic across multiple servers. This helps prevent any single server from becoming a bottleneck, enhancing both the scalability and dependability of services. Operating at the network layer—specifically Layers 3 and 4—NLB uses methods such as round-robin and client affinity to distribute requests evenly among available resources. With NLB in place, administrators can ensure more efficient handling of client traffic, resulting in better overall system responsiveness.

A key advantage of Microsoft NLB is its support for fault tolerance. In the event that one server in the load-balanced group goes offline, NLB automatically detects the issue and reroutes incoming requests to the remaining active servers. This automatic failover maintains service continuity without requiring manual adjustments. Unlike hardware-based alternatives, Microsoft’s NLB is entirely software-driven, making it a more affordable and easily deployable option for managing traffic distribution in Windows-based networks.

What is AWS Load Balancer

The AWS Load Balancer, widely known as Elastic Load Balancer (ELB), is a fully managed offering from Amazon Web Services (AWS) that distributes incoming application and network traffic across multiple destinations, such as EC2 instances, containers, or IP addresses. ELB supports both Layer 4 (Transport) and Layer 7 (Application) load balancing, depending on the type of service used: Application Load Balancer (ALB) handles HTTP/HTTPS traffic with sophisticated routing features; Network Load Balancer (NLB) is optimized for high-speed TCP and UDP traffic; and Gateway Load Balancer (GLB) allows the use of third-party virtual appliances for deep traffic inspection and security purposes. These load balancing types provide scalability, reliability, and consistent performance for applications running on the AWS platform.

A key advantage of AWS Load Balancer is its native integration with other AWS services, allowing infrastructure to automatically adapt to changing traffic volumes. It includes essential security options like SSL/TLS termination, support for AWS Certificate Manager, and compatibility with AWS WAF to guard against web-based threats. Continuous health monitoring ensures that traffic is only directed to functioning targets, maintaining high availability. Thanks to its usage-based pricing, ELB remains a flexible and economical choice for organizations deploying cloud-native or hybrid solutions.

WHAT IS RELIANOID

RELIANOID as alternative to Microsoft Network Load Balancer and AWS Load Balancer across key ADC capabilities

Compared to Microsoft Network Load Balancer and AWS Load Balancer, RELIANOID provides a more versatile and performance-driven solution, especially for organizations operating in hybrid or multi-cloud environments. While Microsoft and AWS offerings are tightly coupled to their respective cloud ecosystems and primarily focus on basic L4 and limited L7 functionality, RELIANOID delivers full Layer 4-7 load balancing with granular traffic control, native HTTP/2 and mTLS support, and hot-restart capabilities for seamless updates. Unlike the cloud-specific services that may become costly and inflexible at scale, RELIANOID features a lightweight, high-performance architecture and transparent licensing model that reduces total cost of ownership. Its platform independence, advanced security features, and real-time traffic analytics position it as an ideal choice for enterprises seeking both power and control in their application delivery stack.