SSL Passthrough

1. Overview

Definition: SSL passthrough is a method of handling SSL traffic by allowing encrypted connections to pass through a load balancer directly to the backend server without terminating the SSL connection.
Benefits:
- Enhanced security by maintaining end-to-end encryption.
- Reduces complexity on load balancer since it doesn’t decrypt the traffic.
- Simplified certificate management since certificates are only required on backend servers.
Use Cases:
- Ideal for applications requiring strong encryption.
- Suitable for environments with stringent compliance and security requirements.
Challenges:
- Limited traffic management capabilities since the load balancer can't inspect decrypted content.
- Potentially increased latency if SSL handshakes occur at backend servers.