A system for distributing network traffic to multiple traffic management
devices. A distributor receives each packet from a network and may act as
a layer 2 switch, a router, or distribute the packet to one of a group of
traffic management devices. The distributor may receive packets from
servers that the traffic management devices are managing communications
to. When distributing packets to traffic management devices, information
such as source and destination addresses may be used to determine which
traffic management device each packet should be sent to. The distributor
causes packets that are part of a flow to be delivered to the same
traffic management device. Many configurations are possible for
connecting the distributor to the traffic management devices, including
connecting each traffic management device to a physical or virtual port
on the distributor, connecting the traffic management devices to the
distributor using a virtual local area network, and connecting the
traffic management devices to a layer 2 switch.