VIP

A virtual IP (VIP) is a software-defined IP address that is not associated with a specific physical device, but instead is used to route network traffic to a group of devices or a specific service.

VIPs are often used in load balancing and high availability scenarios, where multiple servers or devices are configured to provide redundancy or to handle increased traffic. In such scenarios, the VIP is assigned to a virtual service, such as a website or application, and network traffic is directed to the server or device that is currently available and best able to handle the request.

VIPs can also be used to provide a consistent IP address for a service that may be hosted on different servers or devices at different times. By assigning a VIP to the service, clients can connect to the same IP address regardless of which server or device is actually hosting the service at any given time.