---
title: "Get started with TIR Load Balancer"
description: "Create a web Load Balancer, put one VM in a backend group, add a rule that forwards to it, and send your first request through it."
content_type: "get-started"
product: "tir-load-balancer"
platform: "TIR"
url: "/tir/tir-load-balancer/get-started/"
topic: ["create"]
---

# Get started with TIR Load Balancer

Create a Load Balancer, send its traffic to one VM, and see your VM answer a request. You need a TIR
project in Delhi or Chennai and a TIR VM that is running a web server on port 80. To create a VM,
see [Get started with TIR Virtual Machines](/tir/tir-vm/get-started/) first.

## Create the Load Balancer

In your project, open **Compute** > **Load Balancer** and select **Create Load Balancer**. Keep the
**Web Traffic (HTTP/HTTPS)** type and the **External** visibility, enter a name, and leave the
capacity and the protocol as they are. Select **Create Load Balancer** to finish.
The full set of choices is in [Create a Load Balancer](/tir/tir-load-balancer/how-to/create-a-load-balancer/).

The details page opens and shows **Initializing** while TIR creates the Load Balancer. The status
updates by itself. When it shows **Running**, the **Overview** tab has an address under **Domain**.
If it shows **Failed**, see [My Load Balancer shows Failed](/tir/tir-load-balancer/troubleshooting/tir-load-balancer/#my-load-balancer-shows-failed).

## Create a backend group with your VM

A backend group is the pool of backends that a rule sends traffic to. Open the **Backend groups**
tab, select **New group**, and enter a name. On the **Virtual Machines** tab, tick your VM, which must be ready, and leave
**Port** at 80. Select **Create group**. The steps are in
[Create a backend group](/tir/tir-load-balancer/how-to/create-a-backend-group/).

## Add a rule that forwards to it

Traffic reaches your backend group through a rule. Until a Running Load Balancer has a rule that
forwards to a backend group, it answers every request with a 503 error. Open the **Rules** tab and select **Add rule**. Enter a rule name, leave the conditions
empty so that the rule matches every request, and choose your backend group under **Forward to**.
Save the rule. [Add a rule](/tir/tir-load-balancer/how-to/add-a-rule/) covers conditions and
splitting traffic.

## Send a request

Copy the address from **Domain** on the **Overview** tab, and open `https://<domain>` in a browser or
send it a request from a terminal. Replace `<domain>` with the address you copied. The request
reaches your VM's web server through the Load Balancer.

## What to do next

- [How a load balancer works](/tir/tir-load-balancer/concepts/how-a-load-balancer-works/) explains
  rules, backend groups, and how requests are shared between backends.
- [Use a custom domain and certificate](/tir/tir-load-balancer/how-to/use-a-custom-domain-and-certificate/)
  to serve your own domain.
- [Delete a Load Balancer](/tir/tir-load-balancer/how-to/delete-a-load-balancer/) when you have
  finished trying it out. A **Running** Load Balancer is billed by the hour.