HTTP(S) Load Balancer (Layer 7) in GCP - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

Recall & Review

beginner

What is an HTTP(S) Load Balancer in GCP?

An HTTP(S) Load Balancer in GCP is a Layer 7 load balancer that distributes incoming web traffic across multiple backend instances based on HTTP(S) request attributes like URL path, headers, or cookies. It helps improve availability and scalability.

beginner

What does Layer 7 mean in the context of load balancing?

Layer 7 refers to the application layer in the OSI model. Load balancing at Layer 7 means decisions are made based on application data such as HTTP headers, URLs, or cookies, allowing smarter routing than just IP or TCP level.

intermediate

Name two key features of GCP HTTP(S) Load Balancer.

1. Global load balancing with a single anycast IP address.<br>2. Content-based routing using URL maps to direct traffic to different backends.

intermediate

How does HTTP(S) Load Balancer improve scalability?

It distributes traffic across multiple backend instances automatically, scales backend capacity up or down, and uses health checks to route traffic only to healthy instances, ensuring efficient resource use.

intermediate

What is the role of URL maps in HTTP(S) Load Balancer?

URL maps define rules to route incoming requests to different backend services based on URL paths or hostnames. This allows serving different content or applications from the same IP address.

What layer does HTTP(S) Load Balancer operate on?

A Layer 2 - Data Link Layer

B Layer 3 - Network Layer

C Layer 4 - Transport Layer

D Layer 7 - Application Layer

HTTP(S) Load Balancer operates at Layer 7, the application layer, allowing it to route traffic based on HTTP attributes.

Which feature allows HTTP(S) Load Balancer to route traffic based on URL paths?

A URL Maps

B Health Checks

C Firewall Rules

D Backend Buckets

URL Maps define routing rules based on URL paths or hostnames.

What is the benefit of using a single anycast IP address in GCP HTTP(S) Load Balancer?

A Improves DNS resolution speed

B Reduces backend server count

C Enables global load balancing

D Encrypts traffic automatically

A single anycast IP allows global load balancing by routing user requests to the nearest backend.

How does HTTP(S) Load Balancer ensure traffic is sent only to healthy backends?

A Using firewall rules

B Using health checks

C Using SSL certificates

D Using DNS failover

Health checks monitor backend health and route traffic only to healthy instances.

Which protocol(s) does HTTP(S) Load Balancer support?

A Both HTTP and HTTPS

B Only HTTPS

C Only HTTP

D TCP and UDP

HTTP(S) Load Balancer supports both HTTP and HTTPS protocols.

Explain how GCP HTTP(S) Load Balancer routes traffic and improves application availability.

Think about how it uses HTTP details and global network to distribute traffic smartly.

Describe the difference between Layer 4 and Layer 7 load balancing and why Layer 7 is useful for web applications.

Consider what extra information Layer 7 has compared to Layer 4.