packages/cloudflare-loadbalancer/COMPARISON.md

AIOStreams Load Balancing: Cloudflare Worker vs. NGINX

This document compares the two load balancing approaches used for AIOStreams:

1. NGINX Load Balancer (configured in nginx.conf)
2. Cloudflare Worker Load Balancer (in packages/cloudflare-loadbalancer)

Deployment Models

NGINX Approach

• Self-hosted: Requires a dedicated server running NGINX.
• Single Point of Failure: The NGINX server itself becomes a potential point of failure.
• Traditional HTTP Proxy: Uses L7 (HTTP) load balancing.
• SSL Termination: Handles HTTPS connections directly with certificates stored on the server.

Cloudflare Worker Approach

• Serverless: No dedicated infrastructure required.
• Globally Distributed: Runs on Cloudflare's edge network in 300+ locations worldwide.
• High Availability: No single point of failure in the load balancer itself.
• Zero Maintenance: No server patching, scaling, or management required.

Feature Comparison

Feature	NGINX	Cloudflare Worker
Load Balancing	✅ (ip_hash)	✅ (client IP hash)
Health Checks	✅ (passive only)	✅ (passive only)
Failover	✅	✅
WebSocket Support	✅	✅
Session Affinity	✅ (ip_hash)	✅ (cookies)
HTTP→HTTPS Redirect	✅	✅
Global Distribution	❌	✅
SSL Management	Manual	Automatic (via Cloudflare)
DDoS Protection	Limited	✅ (via Cloudflare)
Deployment Complexity	Higher	Lower
Operational Costs	Server + bandwidth costs	Cloudflare Workers pricing

When to Use Each Approach

Use the NGINX Approach When:

• You need complete control over the load balancing infrastructure.
• You want to avoid any third-party dependencies.
• You already have servers running in a datacenter with NGINX expertise.
• You need advanced customization of HTTP headers, rewriting rules, etc.

Use the Cloudflare Worker Approach When:

• You want global low-latency access without managing infrastructure.
• You prefer a serverless, maintenance-free deployment.
• You need built-in DDoS protection and security features.
• You want to minimize operational complexity and management.

Hybrid Approach

You can also use both approaches together:

1. Primary Traffic: Route through the Cloudflare Worker for global distribution and DDoS protection.
2. Fallback: If Cloudflare has issues, DNS can be updated to point directly to your NGINX load balancer.

This gives you the benefits of Cloudflare's global network while maintaining the ability to operate independently if needed.

Conclusion

Both approaches effectively solve the load balancing needs of AIOStreams, but with different operational models. The Cloudflare Worker provides a modern, serverless approach with global distribution, while the NGINX configuration offers traditional self-hosted load balancing with maximum control.