Virtual Server sharing multiple ports

Hi Pete, thanks for answering.

I'll have 4 servers listening to 5 x tcp port each. And I've been told to create a service to balance all the incoming connections to all four servers.

So I figure out two solutions:

1) A single Virtual Server listening to all these 5 x TCP ports, by means of a Port List encompassing all five tcp pors, and balancing all incoming connections to the 4 x Back-End Servers, which in turn are listening to all 5xtcp ports each of them

2) 5 Virtual Servers sharing the same VIP, each VS listening to one port only, and all of them balancing all incoming connections to the 4 x Back-End Servers.

I guess that both solutions will work, But I have some doubts around which of both is the most polite. I guess that the second one is the best since I can enable specific Health Monitors for each Virtual Server since they are attending a single TCP port each. Instead of the first one in which I guess I should build a complex health monitor encompassing all 5 ports, by using some policies or irules.

This is why I would be very grateful to you or anyone else whether you could provide me some advice around which one do you consider is the best.

Best regards.

Albert.