# Moving from mod\_proxy\_balancer to HAProxy; any guidance?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [October 17, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117 "2008-10-17T02:14:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 17, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/1 "2008-10-17T02:14:57Z")

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Hi all.

Just decided to move from mod\_proxy\_balancer to HAProxy for its improved  
load balancing to mongrels.

Anyway, have you done the same? If so, can you provide any guidance for  
making this change? I haven’t been able to find any guides for doing  
so, and would love any insight you can provide.

Many thanks,  
Chris

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/2 "2008-10-21T14:09:34Z")

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Hi Chris,

if you’re looking to load balance multiple mongrels on a single  
machine I’d go with Passenger ([http://www.modrails.com/](http://www.modrails.com/)) directly  
under apache… not only it will mange the multiple instances of  
mongrel (start and stop them when needed) but it also serves the  
static files directly through apache.

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/3 "2008-10-21T19:50:19Z")

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Jean-Marc ([M2i3.com](http://M2i3.com)) wrote:

> Hi Chris,
> 
> if you’re looking to load balance multiple mongrels on a single  
> machine I’d go with Passenger ([http://www.modrails.com/](http://www.modrails.com/)) directly  
> under apache… not only it will mange the multiple instances of  
> mongrel (start and stop them when needed) but it also serves the  
> static files directly through apache.

I will look into that possibility. Regardless, I appreciate your reply.

-Chris

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 21, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/4 "2008-10-21T21:11:43Z")

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Jean-Marc ([M2i3.com](http://M2i3.com)) wrote:

> Hi Chris,
> 
> if you’re looking to load balance multiple mongrels on a single  
> machine I’d go with Passenger ([http://www.modrails.com/](http://www.modrails.com/)) directly  
> under apache… not only it will mange the multiple instances of  
> mongrel (start and stop them when needed) but it also serves the  
> static files directly through apache.

Um, unless a big rock fell on my head and I’ve been unconscious for a  
while, you don’t use Mongrels with Passenger. That’s the point of  
Passenger: to remove the need of proxying. Passenger is to Rails as  
mod\_php is to PHP.

Peace.

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 4:48pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/5 "2008-10-22T16:48:57Z")

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Philippe,

You are right, you don’t mongrel with passenger; no rock fell on your  
head.

I was merely pointing out a solution that provides the functionality  
Chris is looking for without adding more complexity to his setup.  
That based on my own experience where instead of trying to load  
balance the mongrels I simply eliminated them using Passenger.

regards,

Jean-Marc  
[http://m2i3.com/blog/jean-marc](http://m2i3.com/blog/jean-marc)

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**Author:** ![cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@cpher](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/cpher)\
**Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 7:22am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/moving-from-mod-proxy-balancer-to-haproxy-any-guidance/151117/6 "2008-10-22T07:22:17Z")

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This is correct. With mod\_passenger you don’t need Mongrel, Thin ou  
Webrick.  
You connect your Apache directly to Rails.

Watch out because the last time I check this work only on a Linux  
server. But why would you use Windows anyway for serving Web pages.

Hugues

On Oct 21, 3:11 pm, Phillip K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid)