Difference: Thingworx Connection Server vs Load Balancer

[PravinDriven]

What is the difference between the load balancer and Thingworx connection server? I can see that for the installation of Thingworx 9, we are expected to have both components. my early assumption was Thingworx connection server does the same work as a load balancer

1. if not then please tell the purpose.

2. can anybody explain the difference by use case if possible?

Thanks

Pravin

[mnarang]

ThingWorx connection server are basically designed and used for handling incoming websocket traffic. They are kind of WS connection balancer. Although in a non HA the HTTPS traffic will be passed through the cx server only. If you see the 9.0 HA active active deployement guide the cx server sits behind the LB and takes care of the websocket traffic while the HTTPS traffic is directly pass to the platform from the LB. Cx server are typically used and recommended when you have >25 K assets connected directly to ThingWorx in order to offload the ws connection overhead.

Hope it helps !

Thanks,

Mukul Narang

[smainente · Accepted solution]

The Thingworx Connection Server is mainly a multiplexer.

Let say you want to connect 20.000 AlwaysOn devices onto ThingWorx :

• Instead having 20.000 websockets open on the platform, you could use 2 Connection Servers, each one handling 10.000 devices.
• Each Connection Server will multiplex the requests from his 10.000 devices onto the platform via 10 web sockets (default, probably configurable).

In a 9.0 Active-Active cluster, the Thingworx Connection Server also does some "load balancing", but it is not its main purpose.

[slangley]

Hi @PravinDriven.

If you feel your question has been answered, please mark the appropriate response as the Accepted Solution for the benefit of others with the same question.

Thank you for your participation in our community!

Regards.

--Sharon