Project Barracuda - Franklin Synergy Bank: Link Balancer
Starting with efficiently routing application traffic among links, the Barracuda Link Balancer adds advanced policy features for optimizing inbound and outbound application traffic.
It also provides a firewall and VPNs for added layers of security at the network's edge and beyond. Link failover for HA and features for managing traffic priorities, bandwidth and reporting, makes it an essential part of any network infrastructure.
The Barracuda Link Balancer is an affordable and powerful solution for routing and managing traffic across multiple Internet connections. Designed to scale for high bandwidth requirements and provide business continuity for an organization of any size, the Barracuda Link Balancer optimizes the use of multiple Internet links, such as T1s, T3s, DSL and cable connections from one or multiple Internet service providers. Capable of automatic failover in the event of link failure, the Barracuda Link Balancer helps ensure that your network is always connected to the Internet.
- Incoming and outgoing network traffic balancing across multiple Internet links
- Automated failover in case of link failure
- Bandwidth management
- Quality of Service (QoS) for Internet applications
- Traditional firewall
- Provides site-to-site VPN with link failover
Powerful
The Barracuda Link Balancer combines numerous features to ensure available bandwidth from Internet connections.
- Aggregating client and server Internet bandwidth:
The Barracuda Link Balancer provides optimal access to multiple high speed connections while automatic failover ensures reliable connectivity to any of the available Internet links.
- Bandwidth management and Quality of Service (QoS) features:
Barracuda Link Balancer prioritizes bandwidth to mission critical requests for Internet connectivity.
Easy to Use
The Barracuda Link Balancer features an easy-to-use Web user interface, creating an intuitive and cost-effective administration tool for the integrated hardware and software solution. The Web user interface allows administrators to define, manage and control bandwidth settings across the network.
Affordable
By aggregating multiple Internet links from one or many ISPs, the Barracuda Link Balancer reduces the need to purchase multiple high speed and high cost links to handle the daily Internet usage.
Barracuda Link Balancer Model Specifications
Available in three models, the Barracuda Link Balancer optimizes bandwidth usage to ensure reliable Internet access to and from the network. The entry level Barracuda Link Balancer 230 handles up to 2 Internet links. The higher capacity Barracuda Link Balancer 430 handles up to 6 Internet links. These specifications are not limits of the system, but are the recommended capacity.
Download Barracuda Link Balancer Datasheet
If you would like to speak to someone about which model is right for your organization, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Link Balancer Key Features
The Barracuda Link Balanceris an affordable and powerful solution for routing and managing traffic across multiple Internet connections.
Designed to scale for high bandwidth requirements and provide business continuity for an organization of any size, the Barracuda Link Balancer optimizes the use of multiple Internet links, such as T1s, T3s, DSL and cable connections from one or multiple Internet service providers. Capable of automatic failover in the event of link failure, the Barracuda Link Balancer helps assure that your network is always connected to the Internet.
Aggregating Link Bandwidth
The Barracuda Link Balancer automatically aggregates Internet bandwidth from multiple connections. Administrators can choose multiple connections to the same or different ISPs for the purposes of consolidating access to affordable Internet bandwidth.
Link Failover
In the event of Internet link failure, the Barracuda Link Balancer automatically sends traffic to an available Internet connections without administrator intervention. During a link failure, Barracuda Link Balancer regularly checks the health of a given connection, assuring fast reconnection when Internet service is restored. By automatically detecting link health and failure, the Barracuda Link Balancer assists administrators by providing a worry-free redundant connectivity to the Internet.
Bandwidth Management and Quality of Service (QoS)
The Barracuda Link Balancer provides administrators with tools to automatically prioritize critical Internet applications. For example, Web browsing and email can be guaranteed bandwidth while peer-to-peer applications and media streaming can be assigned a lower priority. The flexibility to manage priority of Internet usage ensures low-priority bandwidth-intensive applications never interfere with business-critical operations.
Traditional Firewall
Installed at the network perimeter, administrators can deploy the Barracuda Link Balancer as a network firewall to consolidate the management of network security. The Barracuda Link Balancer incorporates firewall functionality, including:
- Network address translation (NAT). NAT allows the Barracuda Link Balancer to isolate internal network traffic from the Internet.
- 1:1 network address translation (NAT). The 1:1 NAT differs by allowing administrators to directly assign external addresses to internal clients. Ideal for hosting internal applications or services requiring regular outbound requests, such as SMTP, 1:1 NAT provides a secure method to facilitate approved traffic.
- Port forwarding. Port forwarding allows the same external addresses used for Internet and WAN bandwidth aggregation to be used for network access. This is designed for administrators to gain access to management interfaces, VPN gateways and terminal servers.
- IP access lists. The use of IP access lists enable administrators to allow or deny access, either inbound or outbound, to remote networks, clients, applications, services and ports.
Local Network Services
Addressing common network needs for the mid-market organization, the Barracuda Link Balancer includes traditional network services.
- DHCP server. The Barracuda Link Balancer automatically assigns client IP addresses using the DHCP protocol. Along with defining traditional DHCP options, administrators view active leases in real time.
- DNS caching server. The Barracuda Link Balancer is configured to query the domain name server systems or proxy DNS requests to your ISP's DNS servers. With DNS caching enabled, frequent DNS requests are served quickly and locally from the Barracuda Link Balancer's internal DNS processes.
Link Balancer Deployment Configurations
Here is an example of deployment configurations for the Barracuda Link Balancer:
"Standard" shows deployment as a Network Firewall. Optionally, the unit is deployed with an existing Network Firewall.
If you have any questions about deployment of the Link Balancer, please Contact Us.
Standard Deployment as a Network Firewall
The standard deployment places the Barracuda Link Balancer as the default gateway for the client's network. Sitting in between the Internet and switch, administrators can utilize the Barracuda Link Balancer to apply traditional network firewall rules, including DHCP and DNS services to local clients.
Optional Deployment with Existing Network Firewall
An optional deployment configuration simply places the Barracuda Link Balancer at the perimeter between the Internet and a network firewall for local network address translation. The Internet connection links plug into the Barracuda Link Balancer's multiple WAN ports and the firewall is connected to the Barracuda Link Balancer's LAN port.
Load Balancer Documentation
DataSheets
Guides:
Link Balancer Web Admin Screenshots
The following screenshots illustrate the Web administration interface of the Barracuda Link Balancer.
Basic > Status
IM Statistics
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Logging / Reporting > Message Logs
Logs
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Logging / Reporting > File Transfer Log
File transfer logs
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Logging / Reporting > User Reports
User Reports
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User > User Rollout
User Rollout
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Domains > Edit LDAP
LDAP Configuration
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Policy > Third Party Network Access
Per user/group Public IM Access
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Policy > Content Filtering
Keyword Filtering/Blocking
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Barracuda IM Client GUI
The Barracuda IM Client
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