How to load balance http requests?

Check out linode node balancers http://library.linode.com/linode-platfo … ncer-howto">http://library.linode.com/linode-platform/nodebalancer-howto

I am aware of linode node balancers, but I see it as a black box, maybe I am wrong.

I was thinking about nginx, apache load balancers….

What do you think?

Node balancers are easier, I've used them, you basically push a few buttons and poof! You're up and running.

If you want to do it yourself then a Linode 512 running Nginx using the proxy and upstream modules works well (I've done that too). It's the same cost as a node balancer but you have to keep everything up to date yourself.

Node balancers are more cost effective in a time = money world.

And how can you monitor the node balancer?

Monitor it for what? It monitors your back ends for you using checks you specify (either http or tcp), the balancer itself linode monitor so you don't have to.

@obs:

If you want to do it yourself then a Linode 512 running Nginx using the proxy and upstream modules works well (I've done that too). It's the same cost as a node balancer but you have to keep everything up to date yourself.
It's the same cost, and if you only have one 512 without an HA configuration, it's also less reliable. You need more than one node to achieve the reliability of a NodeBalancer, making a NB far cheaper if you care about that.