keepalived2.4.2

keepalived monitors network services and routing peers so Linux infrastructures can continue directing traffic when a server or router fails. It provides high availability through VRRP, allowing routers to fail over and preserve a shared virtual address. It is routing software written in C, designed for Linux-based infrastructure that needs resilient traffic handling.

Its load-balancing framework uses the Linux Virtual Server (IPVS) kernel module to distribute traffic at Layer 4. Health checkers continually assess backend servers and adapt the load-balanced pool by adding or removing members according to their condition. VRRP hooks expose low-level, high-speed interactions with the protocol’s state machine, while BFD supplies rapid network-failure detection. BFD signals can influence VRRP state changes, helping a standby router take over quickly.

Network administrators use keepalived for redundant routers, highly available services, and load-balanced server pools, deploying the VRRP, BFD, and load-balancing components independently or together. Keepalived 2.4.2 runs on Linux with snapd on x86_64 (amd64) systems and is open-source software.