Layer-2 balancing merits

Elfiq Networks is an innovator in the field of link balancing, using a more efficient method of providing the desired result at higher efficiency and lower implementation/maintenance costs.  Through extensive research and development efforts, Elfiq has brought a unique Layer-2 approach to link balancing, raising the bar in technological efficiency and simplicity of operations.

Some of the benefits include:

• Wire-speed transmissions of data packets
• Easy link addition and configuration
• Support for any type of IP link (public or private)
• Secure network operation: the unit is transparent to the Internet making it invisible to attacks
• Transparent installation and operation: does not require the reconfiguration of existing equipment, including routers and firewalls
• Universal compatibility with all equipment (firewalls, routers, switches)
• No need for ISP involvement or cooperation for configuration and management
• No need for BGP programming or BGP capable equipment
• Advanced traffic handling such as link resilience and geographic per-site policies.

Another balancing technique was developed using Layer-4 of the OSI model(transport) to enhance link balancing and management. Though product vendors are able to design products rapidly under this model and provide a significant improvement over the BGP link management model, it raised a number of considerations where the benefits are partly diluted by the drawbacks:

• Layer-4 products act as a proxy; they terminate sessions to manage them causing degradation in performance.
• The device by nature is visible to Internet traffic, making it vulnerable to traditional attacks, causing maintenance overhead and a new security risk in the infrastructure which requires monitoring.
• A temporary reconfiguration of the network infrastructure is required to integrate and configure the device in most cases.