---
canonical: https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/apache-load-balancing-failover-2/
---

SafeKit: All-in-One Apache Load Balancing & High Availability Software - SafeKit HA



[![Evidian Logo](/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/eviden-logo-black-265-54.png)](https://eviden.com)


* [SafeKit](/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/)
  + - * SafeKit

        ---
      * [Home SafeKit](https://safekit.evidian.com/)
      * [Elevator pitch](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-software-ha-cluster-windows-linux/)
      * [Customer use cases](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-use-cases)
    - * Use cases

        ---
      * [Best/Worst Use Cases](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/best-worst-use-cases-high-availability/)
      * [OEM use case for a software publisher](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/application-clustering-software/)
      * [Distributed Enterprise use case](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/business-continuity-software/)
      * [Remote sites and disaster recovery use case](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/business-continuity-and-disaster-recovery-software/)
    - * High Availability in Physical Security Market

        ---
      * [Physical Security Software](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/physical-security-software-redundancy/)
      * [Video Management Software (VMS)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/video-management-software-vms-redundancy/)
      * [Electronic Access Control Software (EACS)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/electronic-access-control-software-eacs-redundancy/)
      * [Building Management System Software (BMS)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/building-management-system-software-bms-redundancy/)
      * [SCADA Software](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/scada-software-redundancy-high-availability/)
* [Solutions](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/cluster-configuration/)
  + - * New application (real-time replication and failover)

        ---
      * [Windows (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/windows-high-availability-software-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Linux (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/linux-high-availability-software-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * New application (network load balancing and failover)

        ---
      * [Windows (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/windows-load-balancing-failover/)
      * [Linux (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/linux-load-balancing-failover/)
    - * Full VM or container real-time replication and failover

        ---
      * [Hyper-V (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/hyper-v-replication-automatic-failover-load-balancing/)
      * [KVM (kvm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/linux-kvm-high-availability-replication-automatic-failover-load-balancing/)
      * [Docker (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/docker-container-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Podman (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/podman-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers/)
      * [Kubernetes (k3s.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/kubernetes-k3s-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-with-synchronous-replication-and-failover-between-two-redundant-servers/)
    - * Database (real-time replication and failover)

        ---
      * [Microsoft SQL Server (sqlserver.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/sql-server-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [PostgreSQL (postgresql.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/postgresql-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Oracle (oracle.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/oracle-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [MySQL (mysql.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/mysql-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [MariaDB (mysql.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/mariadb-simplest-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover-redundant-servers/)
      * [Firebird (firebird.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/firebird-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * Web (network load balancing and failover)

        ---
      * [Apache (apache\_farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/apache-load-balancing-failover-2/)
      * [Microsoft IIS (iis\_farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/iis-load-balancing-failover/)
      * [NGINX (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/nginx-the-simplest-load-balancing-cluster-with-failover/)
    - * Amazon AWS

        ---
      * [AWS (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/aws-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [AWS (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/aws-load-balancing-cluster-failover/)
      * Google GCP

        ---
      * [GCP (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/gcp-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [GCP (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/gcp-load-balancing-cluster-failover/)
      * Microsoft Azure

        ---
      * [Azure (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/azure-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Azure (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/azure-load-balancing-cluster-failover/)
      * Other clouds

        ---
      * [All cloud solutions](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/cluster-in-cloud-computing-generic-solution-amazon-aws-microsoft-azure-google-gcp-other-clouds/)
      * [Cloud (mirror.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/cloud-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Cloud (farm.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/cloud-load-balancing-cluster-failover/)
    - * Physical security (real-time replication and failover)

        ---
      * [Milestone XProtect (milestone.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/milestone-xprotect-corporate-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Nedap (nedap.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/nedap-high-availability-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Genetec SQL Server (sqlserver.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/genetec-sql-server-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-with-synchronous-replication-and-failover-between-two-redundant-servers/)
      * [Bosch AMS (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/bosch-ams-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers-without-shared-disk/)
      * [Bosch BIS (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/bosch-bis-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers-without-shared-disk/)
      * [Bosch BVMS (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/bosch-bvms-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers-without-shared-disk/)
      * [Hanwha Vision (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/hanwha-vision-cluster-without-shared-storage-on-a-san/)
      * [Hanwha Wisenet (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/hanwha-wisenet-wave-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers-without-shared-disk/)
    - * Siemens (real-time replication and failover)

        ---
      * [Siemens Siveillance suite (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-siveillance-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
      * [Siemens Desigo CC (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-desigo-cc-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
      * [Siemens Siveillance VMS (SiveillanceVMS.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-siveillance-vms-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers/)
      * [Siemens SiPass (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-sipass-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
      * [Siemens SIPORT (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-siport-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
      * [Siemens SIMATIC PCS 7 (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-simatic-pcs-7-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
      * [Siemens SIMATIC WinCC (hyperv.safe)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/siemens-simatic-wincc-redundancy-high-availability-cluster-active-active/)
* [Architectures](#)
  + - * Basic architectures

        ---
      * [Overview](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-architectures/)
      * [Mirror Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/file-replication-byte-level-with-failover-mirror-cluster/)
      * [Farm Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/network-load-balancing-cluster/)
      * [SafeKit Console](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-smart-console-your-high-availability-cluster-in-your-pocket/)
    - * Advanced architectures

        ---
      * [Farm+Mirror Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/clustering-software-load-balancing-mirroring/)
      * [Active Active Cluster with Replicaton](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/active-active-cluster-real-time-replication/)
      * [N-1 Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/n-1-redundancy/)
    - * Hypervisor architectures

        ---
      * [Hyper-V Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/hyper-v-replication-automatic-failover-load-balancing/)
      * [KVM Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/linux-kvm-high-availability-replication-automatic-failover-load-balancing/)
    - * Container architectures

        ---
      * [Docker Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/docker-container-high-availability-cluster-synchronous-replication-failover/)
      * [Podman Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/podman-the-simplest-high-availability-cluster-between-two-redundant-servers/)
* [Best practises](#)
  + - * High availability best practises

        ---
      * [High Availability Architectures & Software Clustering Best Practices](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-architectures-and-best-practices/)
      * [Shared Nothing vs. Shared Disk Architecture: Choosing the Best HA Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/shared-nothing-architecture-vs-shared-disk-architecture/)
      * [Software clusering vs hardware clustering](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/clustering-software-vs-hardware-clustering/)
      * [VM HA vs. Application HA: Choose Your Redundancy Level with SafeKit](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/vm-ha-vs-application-ha/)
      * [High Availability and Disaster Recovery (HADR)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-disaster-recovery-hadr/)
      * [HA Cluster vs. Fault Tolerant System: Choosing the Right Redundancy Strategy](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-cluster-vs-fault-tolerant-system/)
      * [How to Implement Redundant Servers with Simple HA Software](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/how-to-implement-redundant-servers-with-a-simple-software-windows-linux/)
    - * Replication best practises

        ---
      * [Data Replication Techniques for High Availability: A Complete Comparison](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/data-replication-techniques/)
      * [Synchronous vs. Asynchronous Replication: How SafeKit Ensures Zero Data Loss?](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/synchronous-replication-vs-asynchronous-replication/)
      * [Byte-Level File Replication vs. Block-Level Disk Replication for HA](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/byte-level-file-replication-vs-block-level-disk-replication/)
      * [Alternative to SQL Server Always On: HA for Express and Standard Editions](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/alternative-always-on-sql-server-express-standard-editions/)
    - * Clustering best practises

        ---
      * [How a Virtual IP Address (VIP) Works in High Availability Clustering?](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/how-a-virtual-ip-address-works/)
      * [Handling Power Outages and Network Isolation in a HA Cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/power-outage-and-network-isolation-in-a-cluster/)
      * [Heartbeat, failover and quorum in a cluster](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/heartbeat-failover-quorum-windows-linux-aix-cluster/)
      * [SAN vs. NAS Shared Storage for Failover Clustering: A Detailed Comparison](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/san-vs-nas-shared-storage-for-a-failover-cluster/)
      * [What are RPO and RTO? Definitions, Examples, and HA Strategies](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/what-is-rpo-and-rto-with-examples/)
      * [Microsoft NLB vs SafeKit network load balancing](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/microsoft-nlb-vmware-multicast-unicast-alternative/)
* [Resources](#)
  + - * Free trial

        ---
      * [SafeKit free trial](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-free-trial/)
      * [One-month license key](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-and-load-balancing-cluster-key/)
      * [Demonstrations](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-solutions-ha-solutions-videos/)
      * [Support](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-support/)
      * [Free Training & Certification](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-on-line-training/)
    - * Technical documentations

        ---
      * [SafeKit quick installation guides](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-quick-installation-guides/)
      * [SafeKit user's guide](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-user-guide-82/)
      * [SafeKit release notes](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-release-notes-8-2/)
      * [SafeKit SRB](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads_safekit/version-82/82softwarereleasebulletin.pdf)
      * [Knowledge Base](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads_safekit/version-82/knowledge-base.pdf)
    - * Product information

        ---
      * [Flyer](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/documents/high-availability-overview.pdf)
      * [White Paper - Product](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-white-paper/)
      * [White Paper - High Availability Guide](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-guide/)
      * [Technical Reference for RFI and RFP](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/high-availability-technical-reference-for-rfi-and-rfp-preparation/)
* [Support](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-support/)
* [Price](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/get-a-quote-safekit-en/)
* [Contact](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/contact-us-for-safekit/)
* [![English](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/flags/us.png)](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/apache-load-balancing-failover-2/)



[Eviden >](https://eviden.com/)  [Products >](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/) [SafeKit: All-in-One SANless High Availability & Application Clustering Software >](https://safekit.evidian.com/) SafeKit: All-in-One Apache Load Balancing & High Availability Software



# SafeKit: All-in-One Apache Load Balancing & High Availability Software

## The SafeKit Farm Cluster: Software-Only Apache NLB and Automatic Failover

A SafeKit Farm Cluster for Apache is a software-defined Network Load Balancing (NLB) solution designed for scalable application environments. It provides integrated **load balancing and failover directly on application servers**, eliminating the need for dedicated hardware load balancers, proxy servers, or complex multicast configurations.

### What are the advantages of a SafeKit Farm Cluste for Apache?

* **All-in-One Software:** Combines Virtual IP, load balancing, and automatic failover/failback in a single software package.
* **No Special Hardware:** Replaces expensive hardware load balancers with a pure software solution for Windows or Linux, manageable by sysadmins rather than network engineers.
* **Deep Monitoring & Self-Healing:** Uses application-level "checkers" to monitor specific application processes, detecting crashes even if the server is still running; it then triggers an automatic service restart or a failover if necessary.
* **Hybrid Farm & Mirror Capability:** Uniquely allows mixing a Farm cluster (for load balancing of front-ends) with a Mirror cluster (for synchronous data replication of back-ends).
* **OEM High Availability:** Enables software vendors to embed native clustering into their applications, providing a "cluster-ready" and software-only product without extra infrastructure.

![SafeKit High Availability Apache Cluster Architecture providing Virtual IP, Automatic Failover, Automatic Failback, and Network Load Balancing](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/safekit-farm-apache-1024.jpg "SafeKit Farm NLB Cluster for Apache")

**SafeKit Farm NLB Cluster for Apache**

[⚡ Quick farm cluster installation guide for Apache >](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/apache-load-balancing-failover-2/safekit-quick-installation-guide-with-network-load-balancing-and-failover/)

[🧑 Contact us](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/contact-us-for-safekit/)

[🎁 SafeKit free trial](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/safekit-free-trial/)

[🏅 Free certification](https://training.my.evidian.com/mod/page/view.php?id=712)

[💰 Perpetual license cost](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/get-a-quote-safekit-en/)

## Table of Contents

* [How the SafeKit software simply implements a Apache Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster?](#safekit-farm-ha-cluster)
* [How the SafeKit farm cluster works with Apache?](#safekit-farm-cluster)
* [Comparison: SafeKit Farm Cluster for Apache vs. Other NLB Clustering Solutions](#safekit-farm-ha-comparison)
* [Video Guide: Configuring a SafeKit Farm NLB Cluster](#videoguide-safekit-farm-cluster)
* [🔍 SafeKit High Availability Navigation Hub](#hub)

## How the SafeKit software simply implements a Apache Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster?

### What is the SafeKit Farm NLB solution for Apache?

SafeKit provides network load balancing and high availability to Apache across two or more servers.

This article explains how to quickly implement a Apache cluster without hardware load balancers or specialized networking skills.

The solution works by defining a virtual IP with load balancing rules, the Apache service names, and health checkers.

SafeKit then enables **network load balancing** and **automatic failover** to ensure scalability and continuous service availability.

### How does SafeKit simplify load balancing compared to hardware solutions?

SafeKit simplifies management by replacing traditional "middleman" NLB hardware with a **pure software solution**.

Instead of requiring a dedicated physical appliance, SafeKit runs directly on standard **Windows or Linux** application servers.

Software vendors can provide **OEM High Availability** by integrating **SafeKit** directly into their application stack. This partnership allows vendors to deliver a self-contained, **"cluster-ready" and software-only solution** that includes native load balancing and failover capabilities.

### What are the benefits of SafeKit’s software-based load balancing for Apache?

SafeKit replaces expensive hardware with a streamlined software approach that offers:

* **High Performance:** Manages traffic and Virtual IP (VIP) at the OS kernel level, ensuring speed without extra network gear.
* **Operational Simplicity:** Allows sysadmins to manage clusters via a unified interface without needing specialized networking certifications.
* **Lower TCO:** Reduces CAPEX and maintenance costs by eliminating the need for dedicated hardware load balancers.

### How does SafeKit application monitoring differ from standard NLB health checks?

Unlike standard NLB hardware that rely on simple **pings** and port checks, SafeKit features **integrated application-level checkers**. While a traditional balancer only confirms if a server is "alive," SafeKit monitors the actual health of specific Apache processes.

This deep monitoring allows the system to detect "zombie" states—where the server is up but the software has crashed—triggering **automatic service restarts** or traffic redirection that standard NLB solutions cannot perform.

### Is it possible to set up a Apache farm cluster without clustering skills?

Yes. This article explains how to [**quickly implement a Apache farm cluster**](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/apache-load-balancing-failover-2/safekit-quick-installation-guide-with-network-load-balancing-and-failover/) without the need for specialized and complex networking skills. By using SafeKit’s **virtual IP** to handle the network load balancing of **Apache**, you get a robust scalable solution that is significantly simpler to deploy and maintain than traditional NLB solutions.

### Beyond Apache, which applications and environments can SafeKit protect?

SafeKit is a versatile high-availability solution **for both Windows and Linux**. It enables mirror clusters with **synchronous real-time replication** and automatic failover for a wide range of critical workloads, including:

* **Virtual & Physical Environments:** Complete Hyper-V or KVM virtual machines.
* **Container Orchestration:** Docker, Podman, and K3s (Kubernetes) environments.
* **Data & Services:** Individual file directories, services, and various databases.
* **Cloud Infrastructure:** High availability for Cloud applications.

[Explore the full list of supported HA solutions here.](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/cluster-configuration/)

## How the SafeKit cluster in farm mode works with Apache ?

### Virtual IP address in a farm-mode cluster

![How the SafeKit cluster in farm mode implements Apache network load balancing and failover](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20300%20169'%3E%3C/svg%3E)![How the SafeKit cluster in farm mode implements Apache network load balancing and failover](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/safekit-up-up-up-300.png)

On the previous figure, the Apache application is running on the 3 servers (3 is an example, it can be 2 or more). Users are connected to a virtual IP address.

The [virtual IP address](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/how-a-virtual-ip-address-works/#farm) is configured locally on each server in the farm-mode cluster.  
The input traffic to the virtual IP address is received by all the servers and split among them by a network filter inside each server's kernel.

SafeKit detects hardware and software failures, reconfigures network filters in the event of a failure, and offers configurable application checkers and recovery scripts.

### Load balancing in a network filter

The network load balancing algorithm inside the network filter is based on the identity of the client packets (client IP address, client TCP port). Depending on the identity of the client packet input, only one filter in a server accepts the packet; the other filters in other servers reject it.

Once a packet is accepted by the filter on a server, only the CPU and memory of this server are used by the Apache application that responds to the request of the client. The output messages are sent directly from the application server to the client.

If a server fails, the farm heartbeat protocol reconfigures the filters in the network load balancing cluster to re-balance the traffic on the remaining available servers.

### Stateful or stateless applications

With a stateful Apache application, there is session affinity. The same client must be connected to the same server on multiple TCP sessions to retrieve its context on the server. In this case, the SafeKit load balancing rule is configured on the client IP address. Thus, the same client is always connected to the same server on multiple TCP sessions. And different clients are distributed across different servers in the farm.

With a stateless Apache application, there is no session affinity. The same client can be connected to different servers in the farm on multiple TCP sessions. There is no context stored locally on a server from one session to another. In this case, the SafeKit load balancing rule is configured on the TCP client session identity. This configuration is the one which is the best for distributing sessions between servers, but it requires a TCP service without session affinity.

### How to configure a SafeKit cluster in farm mode for Apache?

![SafeKit Web Console: Farm-mode cluster configuration for Apache network load balancing and virtual IP management.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20966%20616'%3E%3C/svg%3E)![SafeKit Web Console: Farm-mode cluster configuration for Apache network load balancing and virtual IP management.](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/safekit-farm-cluster-config.png)

The **SafeKit cluster in farm mode** is designed for high availability and scalability of services. The configuration focuses on distributing incoming traffic across both nodes simultaneously:

* **Load Balanced Services (Macros tab):** Define the specific application services (e.g., Apache, IIS, Nginx) to be kept active on all nodes.
* **Heartbeat network(s):** Communication path(s) used to detect if a node has left the farm, triggering an immediate redistribution of the load.
* **Virtual IP (Farm VIP):** Unlike a mirror cluster, the Farm VIP is shared between nodes using kernel filtering algorithm to distribute network traffic.
* **Load Balancing Rules:** Define the traffic distribution policy based on the source IP address or port.
* **Checkers:** Monitor the application's health and trigger automatic restart if a process failure is detected.

### How to monitor a SafeKit cluster in farm mode for Apache?

![SafeKit Console: Monitoring a 2-node farm-mode cluster showing both Apache nodes in UP state with active load balancing.](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20viewBox='0%200%20473%20373'%3E%3C/svg%3E)![SafeKit Console: Monitoring a 2-node farm-mode cluster showing both Apache nodes in UP state with active load balancing.](https://safekit.evidian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/safekit-farm-cluster-monitor.png)

Monitoring a cluster in farm mode provides visibility into the **Active-Active** nature of the infrastructure, where all nodes contribute to the application's performance (showing 2 nodes in this example):

* **UP State (50% on 2 nodes):** In a healthy farm, both nodes are in the "UP" (50%) state, meaning they are both actively receiving and processing client requests via the shared Virtual IP.
* **Automatic Re-balancing:** If one node fails, the console visually shows the remaining node taking 100% of the traffic. There is no "failover" delay, as the surviving node is already active (aside from a detection time of a few seconds).
* **Node Insertion:** When a repaired node is restarted, it transitions from "STOP" to "UP" and automatically starts receiving its portion of the load without administrator intervention.
* **No Data Sync:** Note that in a farm-mode cluster, there is no "Orange" resynchronization state, as nodes are expected to be stateless or share a backend database (which can be protected separately in a mirror cluster).

Beyond simple status icons, the interface provides one-click node management, allowing you to manually stop or start a node for planned maintenance while the shared Virtual IP automatically redistributes traffic without interrupting user activity.

## Comparison: SafeKit Farm Cluster for Apache vs. Other NLB Clustering Solutions

| Feature | SafeKit Farm Cluster (Software) | Hardware Load Balancers |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Architecture | **Kernel-Level Software:** Native integration into Windows/Linux OS. | **Proprietary Hardware:** Dedicated physical appliances. |
| Management | **System Admins:** Managed via a simple web console; no networking degree required. | **Network Engineers:** Requires specialized skills and CLI certifications. |
| Health Monitoring | **Application Checkers:** Deep monitoring of specific processes (Apache, Nginx, etc.). | **Network Ping:** Basic check to see if the server or port is reachable. |
| Self-Healing | **Built-in Restart Intelligence:** Automatically reboots failed services locally. | **Passive Failover:** Simply stops sending traffic to the failed node. |
| Infrastructure | **Agnostic:** Works on physical, virtual (VMware, Hyper-V), or Cloud instances. | **Rigid:** Requires specific physical cabling and network rack space. |
| Cost (TCO) | **Low CAPEX/OPEX:** Uses existing server resources; no expensive hardware maintenance. | **High Investment:** High upfront costs plus recurring licensing and power expenses. |

### Conclusion: A Smarter Approach to Network Load Balancing and High Availability

The **SafeKit Farm Cluster** represents a strategic evolution from traditional, hardware-heavy networking to a modern, **software-defined high availability** model. By integrating load balancing and self-healing intelligence directly into the application servers, SafeKit eliminates the cost and complexity of external "middleman" hardware.

## Video Guide: Configuring a SafeKit Farm NLB Cluster

### [SafeKit Video: Network Load Balancing and Virtual IP Management (5:03)](https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ww2-cXHNx4?rel=0&autoplay=1)

In this video, learn how to implement a **virtual IP address** to provide a single entry point for a 2-node cluster. SafeKit simplifies **network load balancing** by automatically managing the virtual IP, ensuring that client traffic is distributed across nodes and redirected instantly during a failover.

### Video Highlights

1. [Architecture: Preparing 2 nodes for a shared Virtual IP](https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ww2-cXHNx4?rel=0&autoplay=1&start=0&end=13) (0:13)
2. [Configuration: Setting up the farm.safe module and Virtual IP address](https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ww2-cXHNx4?rel=0&autoplay=1&start=13&end=153) (2:20)
3. [Validation: Failover testing and Virtual IP redirection on server crash](https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Ww2-cXHNx4?rel=0&autoplay=1&start=153) (2:30)

## 🔍 SafeKit High Availability Navigation Hub

Explore SafeKit: Features, technical videos, documentation, and free trial

| Resource Type | Description | Direct Link |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Key Features** | Why Choose SafeKit for Simple and Cost-Effective High Availability? | [See Why Choose SafeKit for High Availability](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#why-choose-safekit-for-ha "Discover SafeKit features for simple and cost-effective high availability") |
| **Use Cases** | Explore How SafeKit Ensures the High Availability of Critical Infrastructure | [See All Use Cases](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-use-cases "Explore SafeKit high availability use cases") |
| **Deployment Model** | All-in-One SANless HA: Shared-Nothing Software Clustering | [See SafeKit All-in-One SANless HA](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#all-in-one-sanless-ha "Learn about all-in-one SANless high availability with shared-nothing software clustering") |
| **HA Strategies** | SafeKit: Infrastructure (VM) vs. Application-Level High Availability | [See SafeKit HA & Redundancy: VM vs. Application Level](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-ha-redundancy-choices "Compare VM-level redundancy with SafeKit application-level high availability strategies") |
| **Technical Specifications** | Technical Limitations for SafeKit Clustering | [See SafeKit High Availability Limitations](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-ha-limitations "Technical requirements and limitations for SafeKit application clustering") |
| **Proof of Concept** | SafeKit: High Availability Configuration & Failover Demos | [See SafeKit Failover Tutorials](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-failover-tutorials "Step-by-step videos on SafeKit high availability, from installation to automated failover") |
| **Architecture** | How the SafeKit Mirror Cluster works (Real-Time Replication & Failover) | [See SafeKit Mirror Cluster: Real-Time Replication & Failover](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-mirror-cluster "See technical architecture and failover mechanism of SafeKit Mirror Cluster") |
| **Architecture** | How the SafeKit Farm Cluster works (Network Load Balancing & Failover) | [See SafeKit Farm Cluster: Network Load Balancing & Failover](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-farm-cluster "Technical overview of SafeKit Farm Cluster architecture with network load balancing") |
| **Competitive Advantages** | Comparison: SafeKit vs. Traditional High Availability (HA) Clusters | [See SafeKit vs. Traditional HA Cluster Comparison](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-ha-comparison "Detailed comparison of SafeKit software vs traditional hardware-based HA clusters") |
| **Technical Resources** | SafeKit High Availability: Documentation, Downloads & Trial | [See SafeKit HA Free Trial & Technical Documentation](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-ha-technical-resources "Access SafeKit free trial, technical documentation, and high availability white papers") |
| **Pre-configured Solutions** | SafeKit Application Module Library: Ready-to-Use HA Solutions | [See SafeKit High Availability Application Modules](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/#safekit-ha-application-modules "Browse the library of pre-configured SafeKit modules for automated application failover") |

[🧑 Contact us](https://safekit.evidian.com/products/high-availability-software-for-application-clustering/contact-us-for-safekit/)

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