Definition - What does Multihoming mean?
Multihoming is a mechanism used to configure one computer with more than one network interface and multiple IP addresses. It provides enhanced and reliable Internet connectivity without compromising efficient performance. The multihoming computer is known as the host and is directly or indirectly connected to more than one network.
Techopedia explains Multihoming
Multihoming provides many benefits, including the following:
- The multiple simultaneous Internet connections make system failure less likely than with a system with a single Internet connection.
- Users interact with the Internet through multiple doorways. During failover, only one door closes, while the other doors continue working.
- In Web management, multihoming helps load balancing and allows a network to work with the lowest downtime.
- The system is maintained during disaster and recovery.
The two main types of multihoming are:
- IPv4 multihoming: A multihomed public IP address must be configured with two or more Internet service provider (ISP) connections. When any link or route fails, network traffic is automatically rerouted. IPv4's major drawback is its central connection point (shared transmission line and/or edge router) for two ISPs, which can result in failure of the entire network if the central point fails. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used for multihoming purposes.
- IPv6 multihoming: Multihoming is on the rise with IPv6 computer systems, which provide more efficient support for it. Many communication devices are shifting to IPv6, and multihoming allows easy data transfer. However, IPv6 multihoming is not yet standardized.
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