A Traffic Pool allows you to combine the bandwidth allowances of multiple dedicated servers into a single pool. This helps you manage bandwidth usage across your servers and make better use of their available resources.

Traffic Pool usage is calculated using the 95th percentile method. Bandwidth measurements from all servers in the pool are combined for each measurement interval, and the 95th percentile is then calculated from the combined measurements.

This can be particularly useful when your servers experience traffic peaks at different times. Instead of calculating the 95th percentile for each server separately and adding the results together, the system measures their combined bandwidth usage.

You can also add extra bandwidth to the pool when needed.

Traffic Pools are location-specific. You can only combine dedicated servers hosted in the same location. For example, a server in Toronto cannot share a Traffic Pool with a server in Frankfurt. To manage servers in different locations, you need to create a separate Traffic Pool for each location.

When should you use a Traffic Pool?

A Traffic Pool can be useful when:

• You have multiple dedicated servers in the same location.
• Your servers have different usage patterns or experience traffic spikes at different times.
• You want to monitor bandwidth usage across several servers in one place.
• You need additional bandwidth for a group of servers.

Traffic Pools are designed for managing bandwidth allowances. They do not distribute incoming connections or balance network traffic between servers.

Note:
Only dedicated servers using the Bandwidth traffic type can be added to a Traffic Pool. Servers using the Volume traffic type must be switched to Bandwidth before they can be included.

1. Create a Traffic Pool

1. Log in to your HostZealot Client Area.
2. Go to My Services and select Dedicated Servers.
3. Open the Traffic Pool tab at the top of the page.
4. Click Add Pool to create a new pool.

If you have not created any pools yet, the page displays an introduction to the feature and a button for creating your first pool.

In the Create Pool window:

1. Enter a name in the Pool Name field.
2. Select the Location where your dedicated servers are hosted.
3. Use the Extra traffic control if you need additional bandwidth for the pool.
4. Select the dedicated servers you want to include.
5. Click Create Pool.

After you select a location, the available dedicated servers in that location appear in the list.

Only dedicated servers hosted in the selected location can be added to the pool. Servers from other locations cannot be included.

You can select servers individually or use Check all available to select all eligible servers.

Servers using the Volume traffic type may appear in the list but cannot be selected. The interface indicates that their traffic type must be changed to Bandwidth before they can be added.

Once the pool is created, it appears in the Traffic Pool list.

2. View your Traffic Pool details

1. Go to My Services, then Dedicated Servers.
2. Open the Traffic Pool tab.
3. Click the name of the pool you want to manage. Alternatively, open its action menu and select Open.

The pool details page displays information about the selected pool, including its location, status, billing information and bandwidth usage.

The Bandwidth section shows:

• Total bandwidth - the bandwidth allowance available to the pool.
• Additional bandwidth - any extra bandwidth added to the pool.
• Used - the bandwidth usage recorded for the pool.

The servers included in the pool are listed in a table below the pool information.

3. Monitor Traffic Pool usage

You can view bandwidth statistics for the entire pool and for individual servers.

1. Open the Traffic Pool you want to monitor.
2. Find the Bandwidth section.
3. Click Traffic.

A window opens with bandwidth usage graphs.

The first graph shows the pool's overall bandwidth allowance and usage. Below it, the Bandwidth data per server section displays information about each server included in the pool.

The pool's measured bandwidth usage is calculated using the 95th percentile method:

1. Bandwidth measurements from all servers in the pool are added together for each measurement interval.
2. The combined measurements are used to calculate the 95th percentile. The highest 5% of measurements do not determine this value.
3. The resulting value represents the pool's measured bandwidth usage for the calculation period.

This approach reduces the impact of short traffic spikes. It can also be beneficial when different servers experience peak usage at different times.

Use the graphs to identify periods of increased bandwidth usage and see how individual servers contribute to the pool's total consumption.

4. Add servers to an existing Traffic Pool

You can add more dedicated servers to a Traffic Pool without creating a new one, provided they are hosted in the same location and use the Bandwidth traffic type.

1. Go to My Services, select Dedicated Servers and open the Traffic Pool tab.
2. Open the pool you want to modify.
3. Click Add Server in the upper-right corner.
4. Select the dedicated servers you want to add.
5. Click Add to Pool.

You can also click Check all available to select all eligible servers.

The list only allows you to select servers that meet the pool's requirements. Servers from other locations cannot be added. Servers using the Volume traffic type are unavailable until their traffic type is changed to Bandwidth.

After adding a server, it appears in the pool's server list.

5. Remove a server from a Traffic Pool

To remove a dedicated server from an existing pool:

1. Open My Services, then Dedicated Servers and Traffic Pool.
2. Select the pool containing the server.
3. Find the server in the table at the bottom of the pool details page.
4. Open the action menu next to the server.
5. Select Delete from Pool.

The selected server will be removed from the Traffic Pool.

Managing your Traffic Pools

You can create separate Traffic Pools for dedicated servers in different locations and manage them from the Traffic Pool tab.

Each pool is limited to a single location and has its own list of servers, bandwidth information and usage statistics. Open a pool whenever you need to review its usage or change which servers are included.