Loadbalancer or proxy service?

I am coming from Azure .Net with apps and appservices to NodeJs and Docker. In azure it seems pretty easy to map a domain to app service, setup SSL, etc.

I'm not sure how to map my hostnames to back end services and setup SSL. I dont want to be running/managing this myself so based on a chatGPT conversation (yes really), I think a load balancer is the way to go as linode does not provide a managed proxy.

The only downside seems to be that you can only have one external IP address.

Is there anything else I should consider?

Transcript below for reference, maybe the support team should be nervous? :

Dan Bayley

are you familiar with linode?

Yes, I'm familiar with Linode. It's a web hosting company that provides cloud hosting services.

Dan Bayley

How do I map domain names to a given docker container hosted on linode?

To map domain names to a Docker container hosted on Linode, you need to follow these steps:

Set up a Linode server with Docker installed
Deploy the Docker container with your application on the server
Obtain a domain name and configure its DNS records to point to the IP address of your Linode server
Configure a reverse proxy, such as Nginx, to route incoming requests to your Docker container based on the domain name
Optionally, set up SSL/TLS certificates for the domain name using tools such as Certbot
Note: These steps are a general outline and may require specific modifications based on your setup.

Dan Bayley

If I want to use SSL does the certificate live on the server or reverse proxy?

The SSL certificate is typically installed on the reverse proxy (such as Nginx). The reverse proxy serves as the first point of contact for incoming HTTPS requests, so it needs to have the certificate in order to decrypt the SSL-encrypted traffic and forward the requests to the backend servers.

In your case, if you're using Nginx as your reverse proxy, you would install the SSL certificate on the Nginx server and configure it to use the certificate when handling incoming HTTPS requests.

Dan Bayley

Does linode provide a managed reverse proxy service?

No, Linode does not provide a managed reverse proxy service. However, Linode does offer cloud hosting services where you can deploy and run your own reverse proxy server using a variety of technologies, including Nginx, HAProxy, and Apache. You will have full control over the server, including the ability to install SSL certificates, configure the proxy to route traffic to your applications, and manage the server's performance and security.

Dan Bayley

Could I use their firewall service to achieve the same as the reverse proxy?

No, the firewall service provided by Linode is not the same as a reverse proxy. A firewall is a security system that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

A reverse proxy, on the other hand, is a server that sits between client devices and your backend servers. It receives incoming requests, and based on the requested domain name or URL, it forwards the request to the appropriate backend server and returns the response to the client.

While you can use Linode's firewall to secure your network and limit incoming traffic to specific ports, it does not have the capability to route traffic based on domain names or URLs, which is a key function of a reverse proxy.

Dan Bayley

So the firewall does not support hostname and port mapping?

Correct, the firewall service provided by Linode does not have the capability to map hostnames or URLs to specific ports. The firewall service is designed to provide network security by allowing you to configure rules that control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on IP addresses, ports, and protocols.

For hostname and port mapping, you would need to use a reverse proxy service, such as Nginx or HAProxy, which can be deployed on a Linode server. These reverse proxies allow you to route incoming traffic based on the hostname or URL to specific backend servers or services running on specific ports.

Dan Bayley

Does the load balancer handle hostnames and portmapping?

Yes, the load balancer service provided by Linode can handle hostname and port mapping. With Linode's Load Balancer, you can configure rules that route incoming traffic based on the hostname or domain name to specific backend servers or services running on specific ports.

This allows you to distribute incoming traffic across multiple backend servers, improving the reliability and performance of your application. You can also use the Load Balancer to handle SSL termination, so that you can encrypt sensitive data in transit to and from your application, and offload the SSL processing from your backend servers to the Load Balancer.

Dan Bayley

Can I the load balancer have multiple public IP addresses?

No, a single Linode Load Balancer instance cannot have multiple public IP addresses. However, you can create multiple Load Balancer instances and associate each with a unique public IP address if you need to route traffic to multiple backend services and require separate public IP addresses for each service. Each Load Balancer instance can be configured with its own set of rules and target backends, allowing you to customize the routing of traffic to each backend service.

Dan Bayley

Which is preferable, a reverse proxy or a load balancer for routing traffic to back end services?
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It depends on your specific use case and requirements. Both reverse proxies and load balancers serve the same basic purpose of routing incoming traffic to backend servers, but they do so in slightly different ways and offer different benefits.

A reverse proxy is a single server that acts as an intermediary between client devices and your backend servers

. It can be used to route incoming traffic based on domain names or URLs, and it can also be used to perform functions such as SSL termination, caching, and request filtering. Reverse proxies are generally simple to set up and manage, and they are well suited for small to medium-sized applications.

A load balancer is a dedicated service designed to distribute incoming traffic across multiple backend servers. Load balancers use sophisticated algorithms to monitor the health of each backend server and to route traffic to the optimal server. Load balancers also provide advanced features such as automatic failover and detailed performance metrics. Load balancers are ideal for large-scale applications that need to handle high amounts of traffic and require high availability.

In summary, if you have a small to medium-sized application and don't need the advanced features and scalability of a load balancer, a reverse proxy might be a good choice. On the other hand, if you have a large-scale application that needs to handle high amounts of traffic and require high availability, a load balancer might be the better choice.

Dan Bayley

Is linodes load balancer a managed service?

Yes, Linode's Load Balancer is a managed service. This means that Linode handles the deployment, maintenance, and ongoing management of the Load Balancer service. You can configure the Load Balancer through the Linode Manager or the Linode API, and Linode will take care of the underlying infrastructure and ensure that the Load Balancer is always running and performing optimally.

With Linode's Load Balancer, you can easily distribute incoming traffic across multiple backend servers, improving the reliability and performance of your application. You can also use the Load Balancer to handle SSL termination, so that you can encrypt sensitive data in transit to and from your application, and offload the SSL processing from your backend servers to the Load Balancer.

Dan Bayley

give linodes product offering, what would be the simplest solution to mange my hostnames and route them to services, given that i dont want to be deploying and managing more services than I need to myself?

Linode provides a range of products and services that can help you manage your hostnames and route traffic to your services. If you're looking for the simplest solution that requires minimal deployment and management, Linode's Load Balancer might be the best choice for you.

Linode's Load Balancer is a managed service that allows you to easily distribute incoming traffic across multiple backend servers. You can configure the Load Balancer through the Linode Manager or the Linode API, and Linode will take care of the underlying infrastructure and ensure that the Load Balancer is always running and performing optimally.

With Linode's Load Balancer, you can easily route incoming traffic based on hostname or domain name to specific backend servers or services. You can also use the Load Balancer to handle SSL termination, so that you can encrypt sensitive data in transit to and from your application, and offload the SSL processing from your backend servers to the Load Balancer.

In summary, if you're looking for a simple and effective way to manage your hostnames and route traffic to your services, Linode's Load Balancer is a good choice. The Load Balancer is a managed service, so you don't have to worry about deploying or managing additional services yourself, and you can easily configure the Load Balancer to meet your needs.

Dan Bayley

Are there any disadvantages to using the load balancer for this purposes vs other possible methods?

Yes, there are some disadvantages to using a load balancer for routing traffic to your services:

Cost: Load balancers can be more expensive than other routing methods, especially for large-scale applications that require high availability and performance.

Complexity: Load balancers can be complex to set up and configure, especially for those without prior experience with network infrastructure.

Latency: Load balancers add an additional layer of routing, which can increase latency and reduce the overall performance of your application, especially for low-latency applications like real-time gaming or streaming.

Dependency: Load balancers can be a single point of failure in your network infrastructure, so it's important to have a robust disaster recovery plan in place in case the load balancer fails or becomes unavailable.

Scalability: Load balancers can be difficult to scale, especially for large-scale applications that need to handle high amounts of traffic.

It's important to weigh the benefits and disadvantages of using a load balancer before making a decision. In some cases, a reverse proxy or a direct route to your backend servers might be a more appropriate solution, depending on your specific use case and requirements.