Progress Kemp LoadMaster
Progress Kemp LoadMaster is a high-performance application delivery controller and load balancer that optimizes the availability, security, and scalability of your critical web applications and corporate network infrastructure.
Tailscale
Tailscale is a zero-config VPN software that creates secure mesh networks between your devices and cloud resources using the WireGuard protocol to simplify remote access and internal connectivity.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Progress Kemp LoadMaster | Tailscale |
|---|---|---|
| Website | kemptechnologies.com | tailscale.com |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✓ 0 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2000 | 2019 |
| Headquarters | Burlington, USA | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Progress Kemp LoadMaster
Progress Kemp LoadMaster helps you ensure your applications are always available and performing at their peak. By distributing incoming traffic across multiple servers, you can prevent downtime and provide a smooth experience for your users. Whether you are running workloads in the cloud, on-premises, or in a hybrid environment, this tool gives you the flexibility to manage traffic with precision and ease.
You can secure your applications with built-in features like web application firewalls and single sign-on capabilities. The platform is designed for IT administrators and network engineers who need to manage complex traffic patterns without the headache of traditional, rigid hardware. It simplifies your infrastructure management while providing the deep visibility you need to troubleshoot issues before they impact your business operations.
Tailscale
Tailscale makes creating a secure network between your computers, servers, and cloud instances as easy as installing an app. It builds a private mesh network—called a tailnet—that connects your devices directly to each other using the WireGuard protocol. This means you can access your home office computer from a coffee shop or connect to a private database in the cloud without managing complex firewall rules or centralized VPN gateways.
You can manage identity and access through your existing providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or GitHub, ensuring that only authorized users can reach your sensitive resources. It handles the difficult parts of networking, like NAT traversal and key rotation, automatically in the background. Whether you are a developer connecting to a local test environment or an enterprise securing thousands of endpoints, it provides a stable, encrypted connection that works across any provider or location.
Overview
Progress Kemp LoadMaster Features
- Layer 4-7 Load Balancing Distribute traffic based on application data to ensure your servers handle requests efficiently and stay highly available.
- Web Application Firewall Protect your web applications from common vulnerabilities and sophisticated attacks with an integrated, easy-to-manage security layer.
- Global Server Load Balancing Direct your users to the closest or best-performing data center to reduce latency and provide a faster experience.
- Application Health Checking Monitor the status of your servers in real-time so you can automatically reroute traffic away from failing resources.
- SSL/TLS Offloading Remove the encryption burden from your backend servers to improve their performance and simplify your certificate management.
- Edge Security Pack Secure your network perimeter with pre-authentication, single sign-on, and persistent logging for all your incoming user requests.
Tailscale Features
- Zero-Config Mesh VPN. Connect your devices directly to one another without manual port forwarding or complex firewall rules.
- Single Sign-On Integration. Use your existing identity providers like Google, Microsoft 365, or Okta to authenticate users and devices.
- MagicDNS. Access your devices using short, easy-to-remember names instead of tracking changing IP addresses across your network.
- Tailscale SSH. Manage SSH access to your servers using your tailnet identity instead of distributing and rotating static SSH keys.
- Split DNS. Configure specific DNS servers for different domains so your internal queries stay private while public traffic flows normally.
- Exit Nodes. Route all your internet traffic through a specific trusted device on your network to stay secure on public Wi-Fi.
- Subnet Routers. Expose entire existing networks to your tailnet so you can access legacy devices that cannot run the software.
- Access Control Lists. Define granular security policies in code to restrict which users can access specific devices or ports.
Pricing Comparison
Progress Kemp LoadMaster Pricing
- 20 Mbps throughput
- Layer 4-7 Load Balancing
- Global Server Load Balancing
- Community-based support
- Unlimited server nodes
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Increased throughput limits
- Commercial technical support
- Web Application Firewall (WAF)
- Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
- Daily security rule updates
Tailscale Pricing
- Up to 3 users
- Up to 100 devices
- MagicDNS
- Tailscale SSH
- Community support
- Admin console access
- Everything in Personal, plus:
- Up to 10 users included
- User & group management
- Basic access control lists
- Email support
- 1 identity provider
Pros & Cons
Progress Kemp LoadMaster
Pros
- Intuitive web interface makes complex configuration simple
- Excellent value compared to expensive enterprise competitors
- Fast and responsive technical support team
- Easy deployment across various hypervisors and clouds
Cons
- Advanced scripting requires a steeper learning curve
- Interface can feel dated compared to modern SaaS
- Reporting features could be more visually detailed
Tailscale
Pros
- Extremely simple setup process for all devices
- Reliable connectivity even behind strict firewalls
- Generous free tier for personal projects
- Minimal impact on system performance and battery
- Seamless integration with existing identity providers
Cons
- Requires a third-party identity provider login
- Limited advanced routing features for complex setups
- Mobile app can occasionally drain battery
- Admin console lacks some deep auditing logs