Archiflow Load Balancing: High Availability and Security #

Archiflow is a robust document and workflow management platform, but to ensure optimal performance, especially under heavy loads, it requires load balancing. This process distributes traffic across multiple servers, ensuring high availability, minimizing downtime, and enhancing security. Here’s how to technically implement Archiflow in a high-availability setup using load balancing.

Key Components of Archiflow Load Balancing #

Multiple Archiflow Instances #

Deploy several Archiflow instances across different servers. These servers should access the same centralized database and document repository to ensure data consistency. Each instance should run identical configurations for seamless integration.

Load Balancer Configuration #

A load balancer routes incoming client requests to available Archiflow instances. The load balancer distributes requests based on:

• Round-robin: Distributes requests sequentially across all servers.
• Least Connections: Routes traffic to the server with the fewest active connections.
• IP Hash: Ensures requests from the same client IP are sent to the same server (useful for session persistence).

Session Persistence (Sticky Sessions) #

Enable session persistence to ensure that a user’s session stays on a single server. This is essential for Archiflow to maintain session data integrity, as switching between servers mid-session could cause issues with temporary data. Most load balancers have built-in session persistence mechanisms.

Health Checks #

Implement health checks to monitor the status of each Archiflow instance. The load balancer should regularly query each server to verify that it is operational. If an instance fails a health check, it will be removed from the pool until it recovers, ensuring uninterrupted service.

• HTTP(S) health check: Ping each instance’s specific endpoint.
• Timeout and failure thresholds: Configure retries and thresholds for considering a server as unhealthy.

Setting Up High Availability #

Redundancy with Multiple Load Balancers #

To eliminate single points of failure, deploy two or more load balancers in an active-passive or active-active configuration. This ensures failover if one load balancer goes down. Solutions like Keepalived or VRRP can provide automatic failover between load balancers.

SSL/TLS Termination #

Implement SSL/TLS encryption at the load balancer to secure communication between clients and the servers. Offloading SSL processing to the load balancer reduces the computational load on the Archiflow instances. Make sure to:

Set up SSL certificates on the load balancer. #

Enable SSL termination, where the load balancer decrypts incoming traffic and forwards it to Archiflow servers.

Database and File Storage #

Ensure that all Archiflow instances access a single centralized database (SQL or NoSQL depending on your architecture). Use a shared document repository such as a distributed file system (e.g., NFS or cloud storage) to ensure all instances work with the same data pool.

Caching for Performance #

Use caching on the load balancer to store frequently accessed static resources, reducing the number of requests reaching Archiflow servers. This helps in improving response times and decreasing server load.

Security Considerations #

Firewall and DDoS Protection #

Protect Archiflow with a firewall and DDoS protection at the load balancer level. This mitigates security risks and prevents unauthorized access.

Network Segmentation #

Separate the Archiflow instances and load balancer into different network zones, ensuring tighter control over traffic flow. For example, use a DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) for public access to the load balancer, while keeping Archiflow servers within a more secure internal network.

Intrusion Detection and Logging #

Integrate Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and ensure logging is enabled at both the load balancer and server levels for monitoring unusual activity and responding to potential security incidents.

Technical Steps Overview #

1. Deploy Archiflow instances: Spin up multiple instances connected to the same database and file storage.
2. Configure the load balancer:
   Distribute traffic using round-robin, least connections, or IP hash.
   Enable session persistence for user continuity.
3. Set up SSL termination: Ensure secure communication with SSL/TLS.
4. Implement health checks: Regularly monitor the health of each instance.
5. Enable redundancy: Set up multiple load balancers for failover.

Load Balance Archiflow with RELIANOID #

To load balance Archiflow (a document and workflow management system) using the RELIANOID load balancer, you’ll configure RELIANOID to ensure high availability, scalability, and fault tolerance for Archiflow’s services. Here’s a step-by-step guide to achieving this:

Understand Archiflow Architecture #

Archiflow typically involves the following components:

• Frontend: A web application, typically running on IIS or Apache.
• Backend: Application services or APIs handling business logic.
• Database: Often SQL Server or similar.

You’ll need to load balance the frontend and potentially the backend application services. The database layer is usually not load-balanced but managed with clustering or replication.

Preparation #

• Infrastructure: Deploy multiple Archiflow instances to handle traffic. Each instance should have the same configuration and access to shared resources like a central database.
• DNS: Use a dedicated Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) (e.g., archiflow.company.com) for the Archiflow service.
• SSL Certificates: Obtain SSL certificates if HTTPS is required for secure communication.

Set Up RELIANOID #

Login to the RELIANOID web interface and create a virtual service for Archiflow.

Create a Virtual Service #

• Navigate to Virtual Services: In RELIANOID, go to LSLB > Farms.
• Add a New Virtual Service:
  IP Address: Assign the virtual service IP (VIP) that clients will connect to. Port: Use 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS. Protocol: TCP (Layer 4) or HTTP (Layer 7) depending on the requirement. HTTP mode is recommended for advanced features like health checks and session persistence.
• Name: Provide a name like Archiflow_Service.

Configure Backend Nodes #

• Add Archiflow servers as backend nodes:
  IP address of each Archiflow server.
  Port (usually 80 or 443 depending on the service).
• Choose a Load Balancing Algorithm:
  Round Robin: Distributes requests equally.
  Least Connections: Sends requests to the server with the fewest active connections.
  Source IP Hash: Ensures session persistence by routing requests from the same client to the same server.

Configure Health Checks #

Enable health checks to monitor backend node availability:

• Type: HTTP(S).
• URL Path: Use a path that verifies the service is running, such as /health or the login page of Archiflow.
• Set a timeout and interval for the health check.

Enable SSL Offloading (Optional) #

If you’re using HTTPS:

• Enable SSL on the virtual service.
• Upload the SSL certificate.
• Enable SSL termination if you want RELIANOID to handle decryption.

Session Persistence (Sticky Sessions) #

Since Archiflow might require sticky sessions for proper functioning. Enable session persistence in RELIANOID:

• Method: Cookie-Based (recommended for HTTP mode) or Source IP.
• Configure cookie settings as per Archiflow requirements.

Test and Optimize #

• Functional Testing: Access the Archiflow service via the VIP to ensure it’s working correctly. Test failover by taking one server offline and verifying the system still functions.
• Performance Tuning: Monitor connection metrics in RELIANOID. Adjust backend weight if some servers have more resources.

Advanced Configuration #

• Firewall Rules: Ensure RELIANOID and Archiflow nodes are properly protected.
• Logging and Analytics: Enable logging in RELIANOID for detailed insights.
• High Availability: Deploy RELIANOID in a clustered setup for redundancy.

Conclusion #

Archiflow load balancing with RELIANOID ensures high availability, fault tolerance, and security by distributing traffic across multiple instances. Implementing robust SSL encryption, session persistence, and health checks guarantees that the platform performs reliably under heavy loads while maintaining secure document management. With load balancing, your Archiflow deployment can scale seamlessly and handle potential failures, keeping business operations smooth and secure.