Howto load balance users among 2 pppoe servers?

RouterOS Beginner Basics
1

Hi,

I have a single Mikrotik pppoe server with over 1000 concurrent clients in peak timings, I am planning to add more clients and I don’t want to put all load on a single server. If I setup 2nd pppoe server on MT, What is the best method to distribute Users among these 2 servers ? like around half users load on MT1 n half on MT2.

[Note: Authentication/billing is done via free.radius server]

Warm Regard’s
Johny! :sunglasses:

2

from each client, the two pppoe servers must be reachable al L2.
In this case each client is randomly connected to pppoe1 or pppoe2, obtaining a statistical load balancer.

3

Can you please describe in some detail how can I do it ?

4

from each cpe you must have a level 2 connection to two pppoe servers.
One example is:

  • cpe in station
  • the cpe have one pppoe client
  • the cpe is connected to an access point in ap-bridge
  • in the access point two eoip tunnels (or vpls) to two different pppoe servers
  • in the access point there is a bridge with the wlan1 and eoip1 and eoip2
  • each pppoe server, have the eoip tunnel termination and one pppoe server interface linked to eoip tunnel
  • both pppoe server use same radius
5

rodolfo: I am not using any wireless/cpe devices at client end.

Its a local wired network in few buildings. Currently all users are connected via local switches to my PPPoE Server which uses FREERADIUS Server for authentication. My simple question is I want to add 2nd PPPoE server and want to load balance users load among these 2 pppoe server. How to this?

Any one else with any idea?

6

connect two pppoe servers to the same switch where clients are connected.
each client can connect randomly to one pppoe server or the other.
if one server is down the connect all to the only available

7

what is the chance that one sever will not get majority since nothig is controlling where the clients connect to?

What of using a mikrotik switch say 750G to interface with the main switch and the two servers, So that the 750G do the load balancing by distributing the connection among the two servers equally and redirecting all to one if one is down?

8

it depends on number of clients.
the statistically distribute 50%/50%
if you have three clients the can connect to the same ppoe server
if you have 1000 users they could connect 450 to one ppoe server and 550 to the other.
in each case the failover is assured

9

You are right … but my point is to be on a safer side, it could be 80%/20% and also the work load of the individual clients matters. Some clients pull realtime traffic than the other, so to me, to sleep with two eyes closed, managing the clients to 50%/50% of their activities will guarantee rest of mind for such volumes of clients.

10

ok.
have two pppoe server is one problem.
To balance some users over two channels is another problem.
If you have a certain number of user, two pppoe server coud be an answer.
But if you want a strict load balancing, you must have a single point where you take decisions.
With 1000 users, use two pppoe servers randomly is ok.

11

I am using Mikrotik x86 (5.6 ) , MT pppoe server hardware is dual xeon 2gbram, gigabits lan cards. Authentication is done by Freeradius. Mikrotik does queues (dynamically created by radius) , some firewall rules to block virus flooding.

The users are increasing rapidly. Mostly residential and offices.
Expected users will reach upto 3000 users.

Please advise on howto Load Balance users among 2 or 3 pppoe server (all network is currently on same subnet)

Should I set same service name on all 3 pppoe server ? What will be the ratio of connected users on each server in this scenario ??



Any other advises or suggestions ?