> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.xloud.tech/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a Load Balancer

> Provision a new Xloud Load Balancer with a listener, pool, members, and health monitor in a single guided workflow.

## Overview

Creating a load balancer in Xloud involves provisioning the top-level resource with a
virtual IP, then adding a listener (protocol and port), a pool (backend collection),
pool members (backend instances), and a health monitor. The Dashboard creation wizard
guides you through all five steps in sequence. The CLI allows each component to be
created independently.

<Note>
  **Prerequisites**

  * An active Xloud account with appropriate permissions
  * Access to the **Xloud Dashboard** or CLI configured with credentials
  * API credentials sourced (`source openrc.sh`)
</Note>

<Note>
  Load balancers must be placed on a subnet that has routing access to your backend
  instances. Verify that security group rules allow ingress on the member port from
  the load balancer's VIP subnet before adding members.
</Note>

***

## Create via Dashboard (Wizard)

<Steps titleSize="h3">
  <Step title="Open the creation wizard" icon="plus">
    Navigate to
    **Network > Load Balancers**. Click **Create Load Balancer**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure load balancer details" icon="settings">
    Complete the **Load Balancer Details** panel:

    | Field                 | Description                                                           |
    | --------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Name**              | Display name (e.g., `prod-web-lb`)                                    |
    | **Description**       | Optional description                                                  |
    | **IP Address**        | Leave blank to auto-assign a VIP, or specify a fixed IP               |
    | **Subnet**            | The subnet hosting the VIP — must be reachable from backend instances |
    | **Availability Zone** | Fault domain for appliance placement                                  |

    <Tip>
      Use a dedicated management subnet for the VIP to isolate load balancer traffic
      from application data paths.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add a listener" icon="ear">
    Complete the **Listener Details** panel:

    | Field                | Value           | Description                            |
    | -------------------- | --------------- | -------------------------------------- |
    | **Name**             | `listener-http` | Display name                           |
    | **Protocol**         | `HTTP`          | Layer 7 protocol                       |
    | **Protocol Port**    | `80`            | Port accepting connections             |
    | **Connection Limit** | `-1`            | Unlimited; set positive integer to cap |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure the pool" icon="users">
    Complete the **Pool Details** panel:

    | Field                   | Value         | Description                              |
    | ----------------------- | ------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
    | **Name**                | `pool-http`   | Pool display name                        |
    | **Algorithm**           | `ROUND_ROBIN` | Traffic distribution method              |
    | **Session Persistence** | `None`        | Enable for stateful application sessions |

    **Algorithm options:**

    * `ROUND_ROBIN` — distributes requests evenly across all UP members
    * `LEAST_CONNECTIONS` — sends to the member with fewest active connections
    * `SOURCE_IP` — routes the same client IP to the same member
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add pool members" icon="user-plus">
    In the **Pool Members** panel, click **Add** next to each instance to register it.

    | Field             | Description                                                           |
    | ----------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------- |
    | **IP Address**    | Auto-populated from the selected instance                             |
    | **Protocol Port** | Port your application listens on (e.g., `8080`)                       |
    | **Weight**        | Relative weight — higher weight receives proportionally more requests |

    <Warning>
      Members must be reachable from the load balancer's VIP subnet. Verify security
      groups allow ingress on the member port from the VIP address.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure health monitor" icon="heart-pulse">
    Complete the **Monitor Details** panel:

    | Field              | Value     | Description                                         |
    | ------------------ | --------- | --------------------------------------------------- |
    | **Type**           | `HTTP`    | Sends a GET request and validates the response code |
    | **Delay**          | `5`       | Seconds between probes                              |
    | **Timeout**        | `3`       | Seconds to wait for a probe response                |
    | **Max Retries**    | `3`       | Failures before marking a member DOWN               |
    | **URL Path**       | `/health` | Endpoint returning HTTP 200 when healthy            |
    | **Expected Codes** | `200`     | Comma-separated acceptable HTTP status codes        |
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review and create" icon="circle-check">
    Review the summary and click **Create Load Balancer**.

    The load balancer enters **PENDING\_CREATE** status. Provisioning typically completes
    within 30–60 seconds.

    <Check>The load balancer displays status **ACTIVE** in the Load Balancers list.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Create via CLI

<Steps titleSize="h3">
  <Step title="Authenticate and create the load balancer" icon="key">
    ```bash title="Source credentials" theme={null}
    source openrc.sh
    ```

    ```bash title="Create load balancer" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer create \
      --name prod-web-lb \
      --vip-subnet-id <subnet-id>
    ```

    Wait for `ACTIVE` status:

    ```bash title="Wait for ACTIVE status" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer show prod-web-lb \
      -c provisioning_status -c operating_status
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a listener" icon="ear">
    ```bash title="Create HTTP listener" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer listener create \
      --name listener-http \
      --protocol HTTP \
      --protocol-port 80 \
      prod-web-lb
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a pool" icon="users">
    ```bash title="Create pool with round-robin algorithm" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer pool create \
      --name pool-http \
      --lb-algorithm ROUND_ROBIN \
      --listener listener-http \
      --protocol HTTP
    ```
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add members" icon="user-plus">
    ```bash title="Add backend member" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer member create \
      --subnet-id <instance-subnet-id> \
      --address <instance-ip> \
      --protocol-port 8080 \
      pool-http
    ```

    Repeat for each backend instance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create a health monitor" icon="heart-pulse">
    ```bash title="Create HTTP health monitor" theme={null}
    openstack loadbalancer healthmonitor create \
      --name hm-http \
      --delay 5 \
      --timeout 3 \
      --max-retries 3 \
      --type HTTP \
      --url-path /health \
      --expected-codes 200 \
      pool-http
    ```

    <Check>Load balancer is ACTIVE. Health monitor is probing members.</Check>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Floating IP Assignment" href="/services/load-balancer/floating-ip" color="#197560">
    Expose the load balancer VIP on a public network for external access.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Listeners" href="/services/load-balancer/listeners" color="#197560">
    Add HTTPS, TCP, or additional HTTP listeners to the load balancer.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Health Monitors" href="/services/load-balancer/health-monitors" color="#197560">
    Tune health check parameters for your application's response characteristics.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Troubleshooting" href="/services/load-balancer/troubleshooting" color="#197560">
    Resolve PENDING\_CREATE status and member health issues.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>