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Senior Systems Engineer at a real estate/law firm with 501-1,000 employees
Real User
Robust, scalable, cost-effective, and has many templates for load balancing traffic of different types
Pros and Cons
  • "We really like the performance of this solution."
  • "The GUI is rather technical and complex, so it could be improved by making it simpler and more user-friendly."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for load balancing traffic for solutions such as Exchange and Skype, as well as for web servers using HTTP and SMTP.

Another team is in charge of operating this solution.

What is most valuable?

Most valuable features of the KEMP Loadmaster:
ready-made templates for various well-known applications
stability of the product

What needs improvement?

We would like to see them improve the security by putting a well trusted and very efficient WAF inside the appliance. They currently use an open-source solution for this, but it would be great to include a more secure one because it would be a complete solution in terms of load balancing and security. We are currently researching WAF solutions to implement for our perimeter, so it is on the radar for our model.

The GUI is rather technical and complex, so it could be improved by making it simpler and more user-friendly. This is a very powerful solution that gives you an edge, but some of the features are hard to understand. For example, the configuration values are difficult. The templates help in this regard. Each value is explained in the documentation, but it still needs to be simpler.

I would like to see Active Directory integration for authentication of the admin role, so the usernames are not on the local appliance.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for four years.
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Kemp LoadMaster
November 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is very stable. If I had to rate it out of ten then I would give it nine-point-eight.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have the virtual appliance rather than the hardware, so in our case, scalability is easy. It is just a matter of licensing. If you want to add more CPU and RAM then you just upgrade your license and give the virtual machine more resources.

For the hardware appliance, my understanding is that it can scale depending on the environment.

They even have software that can turn any bare metal server into a hardware appliance.

We have six deployments across six offices, and in total there are approximately four thousand users. We do have plans to increase usage as we consolidate some of the servers in our private cloud. This will mean that more users are hitting the same office.

How are customer service and support?

The technical support is great. They are knowledgeable on the technical level, responsive, and give you the solution very quickly. The troubleshoot the issue until the problem is solved.

They communicate by email and by phone and can log in remotely. They send us updates about new versions. 

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of this solution is simple.

They have very good documentation available on their website. The have templated well-known applications to help with load-balancing, and these help you a lot. One example is that they have templates for Exchange.

What was our ROI?

The return that we get for the money that we pay is very high.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

This cost of this solution is not high, and cheaper than their competitors.

The license varies according to the number of megabits. For example, a 200Meg license can handle two hundred megabits per second, concurrently. If you need more then you just upgrade the license.

What other advice do I have?

This product does what is advertised.

In terms of the value you get for the amount of money you pay, this is the number one solution.

For anybody who is implementing this solution, there is nothing to worry about. This product is mature, the documentation is there, and the support is very good. My recommendation is to get the virtual appliance instead of the hardware because it is easy, and that's what we have experience with. You get the same features and it is easy to scale and add more resources.

I would also suggest taking a backup of the configuration just in case they misconfigure something later. It is a complex configuration and if something goes wrong when somebody is changing it, it will break the traffic. You should be very careful when making changes to the configuration.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Solution Architect at ReDoy Corporation
Real User
Top 20
Useful as an application load balancer internally and externally for load balancing of web-based software
Pros and Cons
  • "The pricing of the solution is valuable."
  • "The ability to see live traffic is not great and can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use this solution as an application load balancer internally and externally for load balancing of web-based software.

What is most valuable?

The pricing of the solution is valuable.

What needs improvement?

The ability to see live traffic is not great and can be improved. When we check live traffic via the external link, we sometimes see up to 80 concurrent connections but find it difficult to drill down into them. So although we can see 80, we can't drill down to get more information about those 80 connections. Additionally, the graphics for the solution can be improved.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the solution for approximately three years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. We are currently using the load balancer for six internal and external applications. During the last utilization, we noticed that we're barely doing 20%, so I believe we can have more applications.

Regarding people managing and using it, 6% are in telecom and are responsible for Kemp LoadMaster, but approximately a thousand users are connecting to it internally.

How are customer service and support?

I rate customer service and support a ten out of ten.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Positive

How was the initial setup?

I rate the initial setup a ten out of ten. It is easy.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I believe this solution has the best pricing in the market. It is a corporate price.

What other advice do I have?

I rate the solution a nine out of ten. The solution is good, but its ability to investigate life traffic and its graphics can be improved. My advice for users considering this solution is to ensure they have adherent to deploy it.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Kemp LoadMaster
November 2024
Learn what your peers think about Kemp LoadMaster. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: November 2024.
816,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Owner at Optiwan
Reseller
Excellent web balancing and remote access balancing features; flawless and simple to use
Pros and Cons
  • "Great web balancing and remote access balancing."
  • "Hardware version needs a dual power solution."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is for simple things like balancing web servers or balancing remote desktop servers. My company is based in Brazil. We are resellers of this solution, usually to small and middle size businesses.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features for us are the web balancing and remote access balancing - the product is flawless in regard to these things. The installation is very simple and I like the interface.

What needs improvement?

I've only used the virtual version of the small LoadManager (VLM-500), but on the "improvement" side my comment would be about the equivalent hardware based LM (LM-X1) to offer redundant power supply like the more beefier KEMP models do. No matter the size, the role played by these solutions tend to be critical for the business.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for two years. 

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability is great, I've never had any issues with it.  

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I cannot vouch for scalability because I've never dealt with scaling.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support is really good and I've only needed to use the product manual a couple of times. It was extremely efficient and easy to follow. Whenever I need, I can exchange mails or phone calls with their support and they are very quick, and everything works just fine.

How was the initial setup?

The installation is done remotely and I never visit our customers to deploy. The configuration, the operation and the planning is all done remotely. The product is flawless and all the customers are really happy. The price is very good too compared to the other solutions. Of course, it's aimed at small and medium businesses. I cannot tell you anything about big enterprise or about the higher end LoadMaster. Initial deployment takes a few minutes. 

What other advice do I have?

This is a very competitive solution - they have a very solid product and it's cheaper than other solutions. There is no need to look at anything else because of the cost and you have an especially good product to do simple things. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
PeerSpot user
reviewer1475778 - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Computers & Telephone System Infrastructure at Techjet
Real User
Easy to implement, good support, and it helps keep email synchronized in a geographically diverse team
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable features are synchronizing email with mobile devices and synchronizing with Outlook."
  • "We have experienced at least one problem with stability, although it was fixed with an upgrade."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is to synchronize mail to mobile devices and specifically, the Outlook application on laptops.

I have a virtualized environment that contains Exchange Server 2016 and I need a service in the DMZ that knows how to handle emails that have arrived, as a reverse proxy product.

My employees are using mobile phones like Samsung. They need to be able to send and receive emails anywhere with their mobile phones and laptops, so now, for about one year, we are working with Kemp and the users are satisfied. There is no complaining, as they had done before.

How has it helped my organization?

Using Kemp LoadMaster has solved the problems that I was having with my previous solution, PineApp.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable features are synchronizing email with mobile devices and synchronizing with Outlook.

What needs improvement?

We have experienced at least one problem with stability, although it was fixed with an upgrade.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Kemp LoadMaster for one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is stable and very easy to implement. Since it was installed, there has been one small problem that has been resolved in a version upgrade.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The product does its job for the users and I do not receive any complaints.

How are customer service and technical support?

I recently had one small glitch when syncing to an iPhone. I received support that was courteous, polite, professional, and fast.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

Prior to this, I had a product from Cybonet called PineApp.

It is supposed to perform as a  reverse proxy and synchronize emails to mobiles phone and Outlook but I had a lot of issues and it did not work smoothly. I asked them to suggest to me what to do and they told me that they can only handle 20 to 30 users. They said that if I wanted me then I need to purchase another dedicated product.

I was not satisfied and this caused me to replace it.

How was the initial setup?

As I mentioned earlier the installation went smoothly without any issues with the help of the company support

What about the implementation team?

I was helped by the KEMP support team and they were very professional and would be happy to work with them

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The product definitely provides what the organization needs and its cost is reasonable considering the value it brings.

What other advice do I have?

At this time, the only features that the organization needs are the synchronization of emails to mobile devices and Outlook, so overall, we are satisfied with this product.

I would definitely recommend the product to my friends.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1458825 - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Specialist at Seismic Exchange, Inc.
Real User
Easy to use, the support is good, and there are helpful templates for different technologies
Pros and Cons
  • "We are most impressed with the ease of use and great support."
  • "I definitely think that the WAF can be improved."

What is our primary use case?

The primary use case of this solution was to replace our Citrix Netscaler and help us load balance traffic for solutions such as Citrix, Exchange, RDP, as well as for web servers using HTTP and SMTP.

How has it helped my organization?

We have been able to manage several applications as well as run certain services such as Exchange through the WAF. This is with it all being on one screen instead of jumping to several different windows to see how everything is configured. It helps out.

The pre-configured templates help our technicians correctly modify the services, which is another benefit.

We are most impressed with the ease of use and great support.

What is most valuable?

The features we have found most valuable would be the Kemp 360, which helps narrow down the logging.

You can filter and review which IPs are causing issues.

I also like how there are templates for various types of technologies, such as RDP, Exchange, etc. It helps tremendously when making sure that everything is configured.

What needs improvement?

I definitely think that the WAF can be improved. We have had several issues for which, at times some our services that were being run through the kemp would stop working. It was strange because everything showed green. Their first solution was to enable/disable the WAF and it worked. But then at time it stopped again and it required further investigation with Kemp support in which logs were needed to be turned on and collected to analyze the behavior. 

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using Kemp LoadMaster for two months.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Stability-wise, so far so good. Sometimes we wish we had a little more notice if something wasn’t working, such as a notification email.

How are customer service and technical support?

AMAZING! Their support team is US-based and quick to answer, help troubleshoot, solve problems.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used Citrix Netscaler prior to this product.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward and the support team was also very helpful.

What about the implementation team?

In-house with minimal experience.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Setup is easy, the cost is affordable, and the licensing is quick and simple.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did not evaluate other options before choosing this solution. 

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
reviewer1443177 - PeerSpot reviewer
Network and System Administrator at Kliniken Maria Hilf GmbH
Real User
Improved uptime and security for our Exchange servers, and the support is great
Pros and Cons
    • "In the web interface, there are a lot of settings in the different menus and it would be helpful if there were an interactive help system or tooltips to help the administrators find and configure the right settings."

    What is our primary use case?

    Our company e-mail and mobile communication system, which is based on Exchange Servers, needed load-balancing and security. After a few discussions with resellers and external consultants, we decided on the Kemp Load Balancer solution.

    Our installation is a virtual Kemp Load Balancer based on VMware. We have configured four  Exchange Servers in a DAG configuration and we have been very satisfied since it was installed. In the future, we would like to map further services via the Kemp.

    How has it helped my organization?

    For us and our e-mail and mobile communication system, the load-balancing and security features are very well-suited. 

    From the installation and configuration to the daily routine, Kemp is great. Importing and defining the rules for the communication systems was quick and easy. Various services and ports are configured for our e-mail and mobile communication system, and we configured some Access Control Lists (ACLs) and the Web Application Firewall (WAF).

     After the configuration was complete, we found that we can still use Kemp for more services. 

    What is most valuable?

    The most valuable feature is that load-balancing, as Kemp helps to maintain the uptime from the e-mail servers.

    If we have or need a maintenance window for one of the other e-mail servers, Kemp will still deliver your e-mail traffic to the other server. It just works.

    It is easy to apply windows updates to your Exchange environment, and using the Kemp Load Balancer made it easier to handle.

    Another great feature is the ability to use the Kemp Load Balancer virtual appliance in our VMware environment.

    What needs improvement?

    In the web interface, there are a lot of settings in the different menus and it would be helpful if there were an interactive help system or tooltips to help the administrators find and configure the right settings.

    The configuration of "standard" services is quite easy but when you configure more advanced settings, it's no longer easy and can be challenging. The Kemp Load Balancer is a very good product out of the VMware ISO (Box).

    Sometimes, you feel years back in the web interface but it's just cosmetic.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Kemp LoadMaster for nearly two years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Stability-wise, this is a great product.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The scalability is great.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    We had contact with customer service/technical support for the license renewal and i can say the contact was very helpful and friendly, just great. Until now all our questions have been answered and resolved by the vendor.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We haven't tried any other solution.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was straightforward.

    What about the implementation team?

    It was a mix between in-house and vendor team, and the expertise of the vendor team is awesome.

    What was our ROI?

    There is no ROI. It is for security reasons that we decided to use the Kemp Load Balancer solution. We no longer wanted the traffic to go directly to the Exchange servers.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The costs for the Kemp Load Balancer solution are okay because, for a good product, you have to spend money.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    We did not evaluate other products. We thought about some other solutions in theory but ultimately decided in favor of Kemp.

    What other advice do I have?

    Its a Kemp it works great.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1442502 - PeerSpot reviewer
    IT Project Manager at Spirica
    Real User
    Has an easy-to-use and user-friendly interface
    Pros and Cons
    • "It is an easy-to-use, user-friendly interface, and you can set up a new VIP in a couple of minutes."
    • "It would be very helpful to get all the http/https session logs by default in the log monitor without activating debugging mode like an apache web sever natively does"

    What is our primary use case?

    I use Kemp LoadMaster as a load balancer for my web applications.

    All web servers (all technologies) are available through the Kemp LoadMaster so all users use the transparent load balancer. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    Kemp Loadmaster is more efficient than the HA Proxy that we used a long time ago.

    It is an easy-to-use, user-friendly interface, and you can set up a new VIP in a couple of minutes.                              

    What is most valuable?

    Ease to use is the most valuable feature.   

    What needs improvement?

    It would be very helpful to get all the http/https session logs by default in the log monitor without activating debugging mode like an apache web sever natively does

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using LoadMaster for about five years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    It is quite stable. No weird issues.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    It is scalable. 

    I can add one or more appliances to the existing ones.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Technical support is reactive.

    We haven't really needed to contact the support except for license renewal.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I switched because Kemp LoadMAster is more efficient, stable and scalable than the other solution.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is not very complex. It was a normal setup with a partner.

    What about the implementation team?

    We implemented it with a partner.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    A partner strongly suggested this product so there was no need to evaluate other options.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    reviewer1441917 - PeerSpot reviewer
    Information Technology Engineer at a government with 1,001-5,000 employees
    Real User
    Bolsters security, improves performance, and the technical support is good
    Pros and Cons
    • "Using Kemp as a front-facing service appliance, it allows me to have the flexibility of swapping out real servers behind the scenes without any intervention from my network team."
    • "If there is anything that needs to be updated, the GUI can get a refresh to make it look more like 2020, although it is just a cosmetic change."

    What is our primary use case?

    We have a small number of internal web servers that we host on-premises in our data center, along with other services that need to be accessible from the public internet. These include Remote Desktop servers, an SFTP server, Exchange, etc.

    All of these servers need extra protection on top of our standard firewall, intrusion detection, and endpoint protection.

    The primary use case of Kemp is the reverse proxy for added protection, and load balancing for better performance. We are able to leverage Kemp to protect our web servers by adding content rules and restrictions.

    We will continue to add more resources as needed behind Kemp. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    Kemp is a great product to have in our organization.

    For our use case, it provides an additional security layer by using the reverse proxy process to protect my real servers. Using Kemp as a front-facing service appliance, it allows me to have the flexibility of swapping out real servers behind the scenes without any intervention from my network team.

    Using the content rules restriction gives me the power to block off certain sections of the web pages if there is a need to do so. The load balancer aspect will allow me to optimally offload traffic evenly across my servers. 

    What is most valuable?

    For now, the reverse proxy feature is a great feature used to protect my public-facing servers. It is configured to restrict/control certain protocols from hitting my actual servers.

    Though not a feature of the product, tech support from the company is also a feature as part of the overall solution that is very valuable. I was able to get in touch with an engineer within a few minutes of calling the support line. I was able to resolve my issue pretty quickly once we restructured a few things within the environment.

    What needs improvement?

    Overall, the Kemp appliance seems to have performed very well for me over the years.

    If there is anything that needs to be updated, the GUI can get a refresh to make it look more like 2020, although it is just a cosmetic change.

    It would be a plus if there were a real-time live traffic capture that allows administrators to see the current traffic that is coming into the appliance. Currently, you can only start the TCPdump capture and have the information logged into a file.

    Maybe a configurable dashboard to show more detail about each VS service would be welcome.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    We have been using Kemp LoadMaster for three years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    KEMP is very stable as we have not had any downtime using this appliance.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Scalability-wise, it works very well for me.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    Very pleased with the experience of talking to the tech support team.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We have another solution in place and we are currently planning to retire it, now that Kemp has been implemented.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    The selection was made before I came on board.

    What other advice do I have?

    It is a great product and service support is awesome.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises

    If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?

    Other
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Kemp LoadMaster Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
    Updated: November 2024
    Buyer's Guide
    Download our free Kemp LoadMaster Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.