Abstract

A computer network system in a company or agency generally uses more than one Internet Service Provider (ISP) to maintain the quality of its internet services. When one of the ISP’s services that are used is interrupted and the internet connection is lost, then the techniques that can be used are load balancing and failover. This study aims to establish a network of two ISPs using load balancing methods and failover techniques with MikroTik. Load balancing to equalize traffic loads and stabilize internet connections for each client and apply failover techniques with 2 ISPs. The method used is the Network Development Life Cycle which redesignates the new network topology by analyzing Quality of Service (QoS) based on the THIPON standard. Based on the test results, the QoS value obtained is 3.75 during busy internet usage hours and the QoS value is 4 at normal hours. Overall, the implementation of computer networks using load balancing techniques with the PCC method showed good changes, this was concluded based on the results of distributing questionnaires before and after implementation from the previous score of 0.4 rising to 0.89.

Introduction

۱٫ Introduction Indonesia currently has many internet users with an increase from year to year. World Bank data in 2020 shows that as many as 53.7% of the total population of Indonesia are recorded as active internet users, which is equivalent to 127.5 million people[1]. The rapid development of this can affect the traffic load because the server is used with excessive amounts (overload). In the meantime, companies, educational institutions, and cafes sometimes use more than one network to meet their needs[2]. The goal is that internet connection disconnection can be avoided when one of the ISP services used is experiencing problems. To overcome this, the load balancing technique is deemed appropriate to be applied. The load balancing technique can work well when requests coming from clients have managed to balance the balance evenly, so that traffic can run optimally, maximize output, and minimize response time to avoid overloading one of the connection lines[3].

One of the companies is experiencing network instability problems and the network’s inability to support its daily operational performance. By using two types of ISP and making MikroTik as a load balancer using failover technique, it is hoped that it will be able to overcome these obstacles. Technically, load balance is not doubling the connection, but dividing the workload or connection load. MikroTik is also expected to be able to optimize bandwidth for each client who wants to access the internet. The mechanism is that MikroTik will mark packets that want to access the internet, then choose which ISP path to go through and equalize the load on the two ISPs. Meanwhile, if one gateway connection is being disconnected, the failover technique will make the other gateway automatically support all network traffic. This is supported by the results of previous studies using two types of ISPs that successfully spread the number of connection loads on all ISP gateways used in a balanced manner[4].

Conclusions

The design and implementation of a computer network with a load balancing technique using the PCC method based on MikroTik router, which is applied when ISP 1 fails in connection, ISP 2 will immediately take over the existing traffic data so that the internet connection can run well. Meanwhile, the performance of a computer network that uses load balancing techniques with the PCC method that has been applied, through the data from the Quality of Service (QOS) analysis consisting of delay, jitter, packet loss and throughput with a QoS value of 3.75 during busy internet usage hours. (08.00-12.00 WITA) and QoS value 4 at normal hours (13.00-16.00 WITA). The results of research on the implementation of computer networks that use load balancing techniques with the PCC method also show good changes. This is based on the results of distributing questionnaires before and before implementation from the previous one getting a score of 0.4, increased to 0.89.

Further development is recommended to use an ISP with a fixed bandwidth (Dedicated) service and not a shared bandwidth or up to internet service, because when this research was implemented, there was no infrastructure in the Sumba Jaya area, so the author still uses shared bandwidth internet services. Furthermore, the use of installed access points is one of the causes in determining the QOS of an internet network, this is proven when the PT XYZ office is still installed with an outdoor access point that is more than 5 (five) years old, the network becomes unstable.