> I am new to net-filter, I want to know if it is efficient/possible to load-balance a >TCP connection based on its payload contents ? > This one message that has to end up at one node can be part of multiple IP Packets >.... The other messages in the same TCP connection should be going to other nodes >....
This is not possible at the IP or TCP layers. You need an application level gateway, and of course an application level protocol which is amenable to doing such a thing in the first place. > I would really appreciate if someone could help me on that. I can help you with an important advise: please learn about TCP/IP networking basics, before dreaming of wonderful new things. Such a strategy will be much more educating and enjoyable for you, in the long run. Maybe you already know all those basics, and you question was just formulated in a too naive way; if you can give details on the application level protocol you are interested in, and explain more carefully what behaviour you would expect iptables to show, we could help you with more specific ideas. Finally, if you cannot tell those details because they were not provided to you when assigned to your current job, hit the person who assigned you the job with a blunt instrument. They would deserve that for being cruel to you. I sincerely hope this helps you in some way. best regards Patrick
