Once the isCOBOL Load Balancer is started, it waits for connections from clients, that can be either isCOBOL Clients or isCOBOL runtimes performing remote calls. When a connection request is performed, the Load Balancer evaluates the best server for satisfying the request, then it supplies the address of that server to the client. From this moment, the client communicates with the isCOBOL Server directly and the connection between the client and the isCOBOL Load Balancer is closed, therefore shutting down the isCOBOL Load Balancer doesn't close the current connections.

The destination isCOBOL Servers are not started by the Load Balancer, they must be started separately. The startup order is not relevant. This means you can start the isCOBOL Load Balancer before or after the isCOBOL Servers.