Load balancer types comparison in GCP - Step-by-Step Execution

Process Flow - Load balancer types comparison

Client sends request

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Load Balancer receives request

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Forward request to backend based on type

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Backend service processes request

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Response sent back to client

Client requests go to a load balancer, which picks a type based on protocol and forwards to backend services, then returns responses.

Execution Sample

GCP

Client -> HTTP(S) LB -> Backend
Client -> TCP Proxy LB -> Backend
Client -> Network LB -> Backend

Shows how client requests flow through different GCP load balancer types to backend services.

Process Table

Step	Load Balancer Type	Protocol	Action	Backend Target
1	HTTP(S) Load Balancer	HTTP/HTTPS	Receives HTTP/HTTPS request	Global HTTP(S) backend service
2	HTTP(S) Load Balancer	HTTP/HTTPS	Performs URL/path routing, SSL termination	Sends request to backend instance group or service
3	TCP Proxy Load Balancer	TCP	Receives TCP request	Global TCP backend service
4	TCP Proxy Load Balancer	TCP	Terminates SSL if configured	Sends request to backend instance group
5	Network Load Balancer	TCP/UDP	Receives TCP/UDP request	Regional backend instance group
6	Network Load Balancer	TCP/UDP	Passes request directly without SSL termination	Sends request to backend instances
7	Exit	-	No more requests	-

💡 All requests processed and forwarded to appropriate backend based on load balancer type and protocol.

Status Tracker

Variable	Start	After Step 2	After Step 4	After Step 6	Final
Request Protocol	Client sends HTTP	HTTP/HTTPS handled	TCP handled	TCP/UDP handled	Request completed
Load Balancer Type	None	HTTP(S) LB active	TCP Proxy LB active	Network LB active	Idle
Backend Target	None	HTTP(S) backend	TCP backend	Network backend	Response sent

Key Moments - 3 Insights

Why does HTTP(S) Load Balancer perform SSL termination but Network Load Balancer does not?

HTTP(S) Load Balancer is designed for global HTTP/HTTPS traffic and can decrypt SSL to inspect requests (see execution_table steps 1-2). Network Load Balancer works at lower network level and passes encrypted traffic directly (see steps 5-6).

Why is TCP Proxy Load Balancer considered global but Network Load Balancer is regional?

TCP Proxy Load Balancer can route traffic globally to backend services anywhere (step 3-4), while Network Load Balancer routes traffic only within a region (step 5-6).

What happens if a UDP request is sent to HTTP(S) Load Balancer?

HTTP(S) Load Balancer only supports HTTP/HTTPS protocols (step 1-2). UDP requests are not supported and will fail or be rejected.

Visual Quiz - 3 Questions

Look at the execution_table, at which step does SSL termination happen for HTTP(S) Load Balancer?

A Step 1

B Step 2

C Step 4

D Step 6

💡 Hint

Check the 'Action' column for HTTP(S) Load Balancer steps in execution_table.

According to variable_tracker, what is the Load Balancer Type after Step 4?

A HTTP(S) Load Balancer

B Network Load Balancer

C TCP Proxy Load Balancer

D None

💡 Hint

Look at the 'Load Balancer Type' row and the 'After Step 4' column in variable_tracker.

If a UDP request is sent, which Load Balancer type from execution_table can handle it?

A HTTP(S) Load Balancer

B TCP Proxy Load Balancer

C Network Load Balancer

D None

💡 Hint

Check the 'Protocol' column for each Load Balancer type in execution_table.

Concept Snapshot

Load balancers distribute client requests to backend services.
HTTP(S) Load Balancer handles HTTP/HTTPS globally with SSL termination.
TCP Proxy Load Balancer handles TCP globally, can terminate SSL.
Network Load Balancer handles TCP/UDP regionally, passes traffic directly.
Choose based on protocol and global vs regional needs.

Full Transcript

This visual execution shows how different Google Cloud Platform load balancers handle client requests. The client sends a request which reaches a load balancer. The load balancer type is chosen based on the protocol: HTTP(S) Load Balancer for HTTP/HTTPS, TCP Proxy Load Balancer for TCP, and Network Load Balancer for TCP/UDP. HTTP(S) Load Balancer performs SSL termination and URL routing globally. TCP Proxy Load Balancer can terminate SSL and routes TCP traffic globally. Network Load Balancer passes TCP/UDP traffic regionally without SSL termination. Variables like request protocol, load balancer type, and backend target change as the request flows through steps. Key moments clarify SSL termination differences, global vs regional scope, and protocol support. Quizzes test understanding of SSL termination step, load balancer type after steps, and UDP support. The snapshot summarizes load balancer types and their main features for quick reference.