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Load balancer types comparison in GCP - Cheat Sheet & Quick Revision

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beginner
What is a Layer 4 Load Balancer?
A Layer 4 Load Balancer works at the transport layer and routes traffic based on IP address and TCP/UDP ports without inspecting the content of the packets.
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intermediate
How does a Layer 7 Load Balancer differ from Layer 4?
Layer 7 Load Balancer operates at the application layer and can make routing decisions based on HTTP headers, cookies, or URL paths, allowing more intelligent traffic distribution.
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intermediate
What is a key benefit of using a Global Load Balancer in GCP?
Global Load Balancers distribute traffic across multiple regions, improving availability and reducing latency by directing users to the nearest healthy backend.
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beginner
What type of load balancer is best for TCP/UDP traffic in GCP?
The Network Load Balancer is best for TCP/UDP traffic as it operates at Layer 4 and can handle millions of requests with low latency.
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intermediate
Why choose an HTTP(S) Load Balancer over a Network Load Balancer?
HTTP(S) Load Balancer supports advanced features like SSL termination, URL-based routing, and HTTP/2, making it ideal for web applications requiring smart traffic management.
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Which GCP load balancer operates at Layer 7 and supports URL-based routing?
AHTTP(S) Load Balancer
BNetwork Load Balancer
CTCP Proxy Load Balancer
DInternal Load Balancer
Which load balancer type is best suited for non-HTTP TCP/UDP traffic in GCP?
AHTTP(S) Load Balancer
BNetwork Load Balancer
CSSL Proxy Load Balancer
DGlobal Load Balancer
What is a key feature of Global Load Balancers in GCP?
ADistributing traffic across multiple regions
BRouting traffic only within a single region
COnly supports UDP traffic
DDoes not support SSL termination
Which load balancer type in GCP supports SSL termination?
AInternal Load Balancer
BTCP Proxy Load Balancer
CNetwork Load Balancer
DHTTP(S) Load Balancer
Which GCP load balancer is designed for internal traffic within a VPC?
ANetwork Load Balancer
BGlobal Load Balancer
CInternal Load Balancer
DHTTP(S) Load Balancer
Explain the differences between Layer 4 and Layer 7 load balancers and when to use each in GCP.
Think about how deep the load balancer inspects the traffic.
You got /6 concepts.
    Describe the benefits of using a Global Load Balancer in a multi-region GCP deployment.
    Consider user location and system reliability.
    You got /5 concepts.

      Practice

      (1/5)
      1. Which GCP load balancer type is best suited for distributing HTTP and HTTPS traffic globally with SSL termination?
      easy
      A. TCP Proxy Load Balancer
      B. Internal Load Balancer
      C. Network Load Balancer
      D. HTTP(S) Load Balancer

      Solution

      1. Step 1: Understand the traffic type

        HTTP and HTTPS traffic require Layer 7 (application layer) handling with SSL termination.

      2. Step 2: Match load balancer capabilities

        HTTP(S) Load Balancer supports global distribution and SSL termination for web traffic.

      3. Final Answer:

        HTTP(S) Load Balancer -> Option D

      4. Quick Check:

        HTTP/HTTPS + SSL termination = HTTP(S) Load Balancer [OK]
      Hint: Web traffic with SSL? Pick HTTP(S) Load Balancer [OK]
      Common Mistakes:
      • Confusing TCP Proxy with HTTP(S) for web traffic
      • Choosing Network Load Balancer for HTTPS termination
      • Using Internal Load Balancer for global traffic
      2. Which GCP load balancer type uses a regional forwarding rule and supports TCP and UDP traffic without SSL termination?
      easy
      A. HTTP(S) Load Balancer
      B. Network Load Balancer
      C. TCP Proxy Load Balancer
      D. Internal Load Balancer

      Solution

      1. Step 1: Identify the traffic and forwarding rule type

        TCP and UDP traffic with regional forwarding rules indicates a Layer 4 load balancer.

      2. Step 2: Match with GCP load balancer types

        Network Load Balancer supports TCP/UDP traffic regionally without SSL termination.

      3. Final Answer:

        Network Load Balancer -> Option B

      4. Quick Check:

        TCP/UDP + regional + no SSL = Network Load Balancer [OK]
      Hint: TCP/UDP regional traffic? Use Network Load Balancer [OK]
      Common Mistakes:
      • Choosing HTTP(S) Load Balancer for UDP traffic
      • Confusing TCP Proxy with Network Load Balancer
      • Selecting Internal Load Balancer for external traffic
      3. Given this scenario: You want to load balance TCP traffic globally with SSL offloading. Which GCP load balancer type will you use? 
      client -> GCP LB -> backend instances (TCP with SSL offloading)
      medium
      A. TCP Proxy Load Balancer
      B. Internal Load Balancer
      C. Network Load Balancer
      D. HTTP(S) Load Balancer

      Solution

      1. Step 1: Analyze traffic and SSL offloading need

        TCP traffic with SSL offloading requires Layer 4 proxy with SSL termination.

      2. Step 2: Match with GCP load balancer types

        TCP Proxy Load Balancer supports global TCP traffic with SSL offloading.

      3. Final Answer:

        TCP Proxy Load Balancer -> Option A

      4. Quick Check:

        Global TCP + SSL offloading = TCP Proxy Load Balancer [OK]
      Hint: Global TCP + SSL offload? Use TCP Proxy Load Balancer [OK]
      Common Mistakes:
      • Choosing Network Load Balancer which lacks SSL offloading
      • Selecting HTTP(S) Load Balancer for TCP traffic
      • Using Internal Load Balancer for external traffic
      4. You configured an Internal Load Balancer but your clients outside the VPC cannot access the service. What is the most likely cause?
      medium
      A. Internal Load Balancer only supports traffic inside the VPC
      B. You forgot to enable global forwarding rules
      C. Internal Load Balancer does not support TCP traffic
      D. You need to use HTTP(S) Load Balancer for internal traffic

      Solution

      1. Step 1: Understand Internal Load Balancer scope

        Internal Load Balancer is designed for traffic inside a VPC or connected networks only.

      2. Step 2: Identify access limitation

        Clients outside the VPC cannot reach Internal Load Balancer because it does not expose external IPs.

      3. Final Answer:

        Internal Load Balancer only supports traffic inside the VPC -> Option A

      4. Quick Check:

        Internal LB = VPC-only traffic [OK]
      Hint: Internal LB is VPC-only; external clients can't connect [OK]
      Common Mistakes:
      • Assuming Internal LB supports global forwarding
      • Thinking Internal LB supports external TCP traffic
      • Confusing Internal LB with HTTP(S) Load Balancer
      5. You have a multi-region web app serving HTTP and HTTPS traffic with backend services in multiple zones. You want to minimize latency and provide automatic failover. Which GCP load balancer type should you choose and why?
      hard
      A. Network Load Balancer because it supports UDP and TCP globally
      B. Internal Load Balancer because it routes traffic inside the VPC
      C. HTTP(S) Load Balancer because it offers global load balancing with SSL termination and health checks
      D. TCP Proxy Load Balancer because it handles TCP traffic with SSL offloading

      Solution

      1. Step 1: Analyze requirements for multi-region HTTP/HTTPS app

        Needs global load balancing, SSL termination, low latency, and failover.

      2. Step 2: Match load balancer features

        HTTP(S) Load Balancer supports global distribution, SSL termination, health checks, and automatic failover.

      3. Step 3: Exclude other options

        Network Load Balancer is regional and lacks SSL termination; Internal Load Balancer is internal-only; TCP Proxy is for TCP, not HTTP/HTTPS.

      4. Final Answer:

        HTTP(S) Load Balancer because it offers global load balancing with SSL termination and health checks -> Option C

      5. Quick Check:

        Multi-region HTTP/HTTPS + failover = HTTP(S) Load Balancer [OK]
      Hint: Global web app? Pick HTTP(S) Load Balancer for SSL and failover [OK]
      Common Mistakes:
      • Choosing Network Load Balancer for HTTP/HTTPS global traffic
      • Using Internal Load Balancer for external multi-region access
      • Selecting TCP Proxy Load Balancer for HTTP traffic
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