diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/auth/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/auth/main.go
index 5e8796e65..220280f3e 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/auth/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/auth/main.go
@@ -53,6 +53,29 @@ type BasicDigest struct {
 	Secured bool   `json:"secured"`
 }
 
+func (bd1 *BasicDigest) Equal(bd2 *BasicDigest) bool {
+	if bd1 == bd2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if bd1 == nil || bd2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bd1.Type != bd2.Type {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bd1.Realm != bd2.Realm {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bd1.File != bd2.File {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bd1.Secured != bd2.Secured {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 type auth struct {
 	secretResolver resolver.Secret
 	authDirectory  string
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
index 8b156766e..069a14401 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authreq/main.go
@@ -47,6 +47,48 @@ type External struct {
 	ResponseHeaders []string `json:"responseHeaders"`
 }
 
+func (e1 *External) Equal(e2 *External) bool {
+	if e1 == e2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if e1 == nil || e2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.URL != e2.URL {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Host != e2.Host {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.SigninURL != e2.SigninURL {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Method != e2.Method {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.SendBody != e2.SendBody {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Method != e2.Method {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, ep1 := range e1.ResponseHeaders {
+		found := false
+		for _, ep2 := range e2.ResponseHeaders {
+			if ep1 == ep2 {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 var (
 	methods      = []string{"GET", "HEAD", "POST", "PUT", "PATCH", "DELETE", "CONNECT", "OPTIONS", "TRACE"}
 	headerRegexp = regexp.MustCompile(`^[a-zA-Z\d\-_]+$`)
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authtls/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authtls/main.go
index 2de8b22c0..de1815ec2 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authtls/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/authtls/main.go
@@ -40,6 +40,23 @@ type AuthSSLConfig struct {
 	ValidationDepth int `json:"validationDepth"`
 }
 
+func (assl1 *AuthSSLConfig) Equal(assl2 *AuthSSLConfig) bool {
+	if assl1 == assl2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if assl1 == nil || assl2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&assl1.AuthSSLCert).Equal(&assl2.AuthSSLCert) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if assl1.ValidationDepth != assl2.ValidationDepth {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 // NewParser creates a new TLS authentication annotation parser
 func NewParser(resolver resolver.AuthCertificate) parser.IngressAnnotation {
 	return authTLS{resolver}
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ipwhitelist/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ipwhitelist/main.go
index 6f394360e..a07239cd8 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ipwhitelist/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ipwhitelist/main.go
@@ -39,6 +39,30 @@ type SourceRange struct {
 	CIDR []string `json:"cidr"`
 }
 
+func (sr1 *SourceRange) Equal(sr2 *SourceRange) bool {
+	if sr1 == sr2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if sr1 == nil || sr2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, s1l := range sr1.CIDR {
+		found := false
+		for _, sl2 := range sr2.CIDR {
+			if s1l == sl2 {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 type ipwhitelist struct {
 	backendResolver resolver.DefaultBackend
 }
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/proxy/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/proxy/main.go
index e097edd24..f2ffc1496 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/proxy/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/proxy/main.go
@@ -44,6 +44,38 @@ type Configuration struct {
 	CookiePath     string `json:"cookiePath"`
 }
 
+func (l1 *Configuration) Equal(l2 *Configuration) bool {
+	if l1 == l2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if l1 == nil || l2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.BodySize != l2.BodySize {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.ConnectTimeout != l2.ConnectTimeout {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.SendTimeout != l2.SendTimeout {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.ReadTimeout != l2.ReadTimeout {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.BufferSize != l2.BufferSize {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.CookieDomain != l2.CookieDomain {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.CookiePath != l2.CookiePath {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 type proxy struct {
 	backendResolver resolver.DefaultBackend
 }
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ratelimit/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ratelimit/main.go
index 06a0160b7..abeb48156 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ratelimit/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/ratelimit/main.go
@@ -47,6 +47,23 @@ type RateLimit struct {
 	RPS Zone `json:"rps"`
 }
 
+func (rt1 *RateLimit) Equal(rt2 *RateLimit) bool {
+	if rt1 == rt2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if rt1 == nil || rt2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&rt1.Connections).Equal(&rt2.Connections) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&rt1.RPS).Equal(&rt2.RPS) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 // Zone returns information about the NGINX rate limit (limit_req_zone)
 // http://nginx.org/en/docs/http/ngx_http_limit_req_module.html#limit_req_zone
 type Zone struct {
@@ -57,6 +74,29 @@ type Zone struct {
 	SharedSize int `json:"sharedSize"`
 }
 
+func (z1 *Zone) Equal(z2 *Zone) bool {
+	if z1 == z2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if z1 == nil || z2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if z1.Name != z2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+	if z1.Limit != z2.Limit {
+		return false
+	}
+	if z1.Burst != z2.Burst {
+		return false
+	}
+	if z1.SharedSize != z2.SharedSize {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 type ratelimit struct {
 }
 
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
index 771fc80a7..7b41c8b35 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/annotations/rewrite/main.go
@@ -46,6 +46,32 @@ type Redirect struct {
 	AppRoot string `json:"appRoot"`
 }
 
+func (r1 *Redirect) Equal(r2 *Redirect) bool {
+	if r1 == r2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if r1 == nil || r2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if r1.Target != r2.Target {
+		return false
+	}
+	if r1.AddBaseURL != r2.AddBaseURL {
+		return false
+	}
+	if r1.SSLRedirect != r2.SSLRedirect {
+		return false
+	}
+	if r1.ForceSSLRedirect != r2.ForceSSLRedirect {
+		return false
+	}
+	if r1.AppRoot != r2.AppRoot {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
 type rewrite struct {
 	backendResolver resolver.DefaultBackend
 }
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/controller/controller.go b/core/pkg/ingress/controller/controller.go
index f0d97c6ce..c90c795c4 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/controller/controller.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/controller/controller.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ package controller
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"math/rand"
 	"os"
 	"reflect"
 	"sort"
@@ -108,6 +109,8 @@ type GenericController struct {
 	stopLock *sync.Mutex
 
 	stopCh chan struct{}
+
+	runningConfig *ingress.Configuration
 }
 
 // Configuration contains all the settings required by an Ingress controller
@@ -400,14 +403,22 @@ func (ic *GenericController) syncIngress(key interface{}) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	err := ic.cfg.Backend.OnUpdate(ingress.Configuration{
+	pcfg := ingress.Configuration{
 		Backends:            upstreams,
 		Servers:             servers,
 		TCPEndpoints:        ic.getStreamServices(ic.cfg.TCPConfigMapName, api.ProtocolTCP),
 		UDPEndpoints:        ic.getStreamServices(ic.cfg.UDPConfigMapName, api.ProtocolUDP),
 		PassthroughBackends: passUpstreams,
-	})
+	}
 
+	if ic.runningConfig != nil && ic.runningConfig.Equal(&pcfg) {
+		glog.Infof("skipping backend reload (no changes detected)")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	glog.Infof("backend reload required")
+
+	err := ic.cfg.Backend.OnUpdate(pcfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		incReloadErrorCount()
 		glog.Errorf("unexpected failure restarting the backend: \n%v", err)
@@ -418,6 +429,8 @@ func (ic *GenericController) syncIngress(key interface{}) error {
 	incReloadCount()
 	setSSLExpireTime(servers)
 
+	ic.runningConfig = &pcfg
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -679,9 +692,6 @@ func (ic *GenericController) getBackendServers() ([]*ingress.Backend, []*ingress
 		}
 	}
 
-	// TODO: find a way to make this more readable
-	// The structs must be ordered to always generate the same file
-	// if the content does not change.
 	aUpstreams := make([]*ingress.Backend, 0, len(upstreams))
 	for _, value := range upstreams {
 		if len(value.Endpoints) == 0 {
@@ -690,7 +700,6 @@ func (ic *GenericController) getBackendServers() ([]*ingress.Backend, []*ingress
 		}
 		aUpstreams = append(aUpstreams, value)
 	}
-	sort.Sort(ingress.BackendByNameServers(aUpstreams))
 
 	aServers := make([]*ingress.Server, 0, len(servers))
 	for _, value := range servers {
@@ -847,12 +856,17 @@ func (ic *GenericController) serviceEndpoints(svcKey, backendPort string,
 				glog.Warningf("service %v does not have any active endpoints", svcKey)
 			}
 
-			sort.Sort(ingress.EndpointByAddrPort(endps))
 			upstreams = append(upstreams, endps...)
 			break
 		}
 	}
 
+	rand.Seed(time.Now().UnixNano())
+	for i := range upstreams {
+		j := rand.Intn(i + 1)
+		upstreams[i], upstreams[j] = upstreams[j], upstreams[i]
+	}
+
 	return upstreams, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/resolver/main.go b/core/pkg/ingress/resolver/main.go
index 0a701fb31..6a00cb65f 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/resolver/main.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/resolver/main.go
@@ -51,3 +51,17 @@ type AuthSSLCert struct {
 	// PemSHA contains the SHA1 hash of the 'tls.crt' value
 	PemSHA string `json:"pemSha"`
 }
+
+func (asslc1 *AuthSSLCert) Equal(assl2 *AuthSSLCert) bool {
+	if asslc1.Secret != assl2.Secret {
+		return false
+	}
+	if asslc1.CAFileName != assl2.CAFileName {
+		return false
+	}
+	if asslc1.PemSHA != assl2.PemSHA {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/sort_ingress.go b/core/pkg/ingress/sort_ingress.go
index a777683a1..7e81bba46 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/sort_ingress.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/sort_ingress.go
@@ -17,9 +17,10 @@ limitations under the License.
 package ingress
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	meta_v1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/runtime/schema"
-	"time"
 )
 
 // BackendByNameServers sorts upstreams by name
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/types.go b/core/pkg/ingress/types.go
index 10aa86416..eab300a25 100644
--- a/core/pkg/ingress/types.go
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/types.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ limitations under the License.
 package ingress
 
 import (
+	"time"
+
 	"github.com/spf13/pflag"
 
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/intstr"
@@ -33,7 +35,6 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/defaults"
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/resolver"
 	"k8s.io/ingress/core/pkg/ingress/store"
-	"time"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -73,8 +74,6 @@ type Controller interface {
 	// https://k8s.io/ingress/core/blob/master/pkg/ingress/types.go#L83
 	// The backend returns an error if was not possible to update the configuration.
 	//
-	// The returned configuration is then passed to test, and then to reload
-	// if there is no errors.
 	OnUpdate(Configuration) error
 	// ConfigMap content of --configmap
 	SetConfig(*api.ConfigMap)
diff --git a/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go b/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cf4b35c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/pkg/ingress/types_equals.go
@@ -0,0 +1,458 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2017 The Kubernetes Authors.
+
+Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+limitations under the License.
+*/
+
+package ingress
+
+func (bi1 *BackendInfo) Equal(bi2 *BackendInfo) bool {
+	if bi1 == bi2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if bi1 == nil || bi2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bi1.Name != bi2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bi1.Release != bi2.Release {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bi1.Build != bi2.Build {
+		return false
+	}
+	if bi1.Repository != bi2.Repository {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (c1 *Configuration) Equal(c2 *Configuration) bool {
+	if c1 == c2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if c1 == nil || c2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if len(c1.Backends) != len(c2.Backends) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, c1b := range c1.Backends {
+		found := false
+		for _, c2b := range c2.Backends {
+			if (c1b).Equal(c2b) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, c1s := range c1.Servers {
+		found := false
+		for _, c2s := range c2.Servers {
+			if (c1s).Equal(c2s) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(c1.TCPEndpoints) != len(c2.TCPEndpoints) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, tcp1 := range c1.TCPEndpoints {
+		found := false
+		for _, tcp2 := range c2.TCPEndpoints {
+			if (&tcp1).Equal(&tcp2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(c1.UDPEndpoints) != len(c2.UDPEndpoints) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, udp1 := range c1.UDPEndpoints {
+		found := false
+		for _, udp2 := range c2.UDPEndpoints {
+			if (&udp1).Equal(&udp2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(c1.PassthroughBackends) != len(c2.PassthroughBackends) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, ptb1 := range c1.PassthroughBackends {
+		found := false
+		for _, ptb2 := range c2.PassthroughBackends {
+			if ptb1.Equal(ptb2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (b1 *Backend) Equal(b2 *Backend) bool {
+	if b1 == b2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if b1 == nil || b2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if b1.Name != b2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if (b1.Service == nil && b2.Service != nil) ||
+		(b1.Service != nil && b2.Service == nil) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if b1.Service != nil && b2.Service != nil {
+		if b1.Service.GetNamespace() != b2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if b1.Service.GetName() != b2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if b1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != b2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	if b1.Port != b2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if b1.Secure != b2.Secure {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !(&b1.SecureCACert).Equal(&b2.SecureCACert) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if b1.SSLPassthrough != b2.SSLPassthrough {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !(&b1.SessionAffinity).Equal(&b2.SessionAffinity) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if len(b1.Endpoints) != len(b2.Endpoints) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, udp1 := range b1.Endpoints {
+		found := false
+		for _, udp2 := range b2.Endpoints {
+			if (&udp1).Equal(&udp2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (sac1 *SessionAffinityConfig) Equal(sac2 *SessionAffinityConfig) bool {
+	if sac1 == sac2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if sac1 == nil || sac2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if sac1.AffinityType != sac2.AffinityType {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !(&sac1.CookieSessionAffinity).Equal(&sac2.CookieSessionAffinity) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (csa1 *CookieSessionAffinity) Equal(csa2 *CookieSessionAffinity) bool {
+	if csa1 == csa2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if csa1 == nil || csa2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if csa1.Name != csa2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+	if csa1.Hash != csa2.Hash {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+// Equal checks the equality against an Endpoint
+func (e1 *Endpoint) Equal(e2 *Endpoint) bool {
+	if e1 == e2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if e1 == nil || e2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Address != e2.Address {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Port != e2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.MaxFails != e2.MaxFails {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.FailTimeout != e2.FailTimeout {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (s1 *Server) Equal(s2 *Server) bool {
+	if s1 == s2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if s1 == nil || s2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if s1.Hostname != s2.Hostname {
+		return false
+	}
+	if s1.SSLPassthrough != s2.SSLPassthrough {
+		return false
+	}
+	if s1.SSLCertificate != s2.SSLCertificate {
+		return false
+	}
+	if s1.SSLPemChecksum != s2.SSLPemChecksum {
+		return false
+	}
+	if len(s1.Locations) != len(s2.Locations) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, s1l := range s1.Locations {
+		found := false
+		for _, sl2 := range s2.Locations {
+			if (s1l).Equal(sl2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (l1 *Location) Equal(l2 *Location) bool {
+	if l1 == l2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if l1 == nil || l2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.Path != l2.Path {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.IsDefBackend != l2.IsDefBackend {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.Backend != l2.Backend {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (l1.Service == nil && l2.Service != nil) ||
+		(l1.Service != nil && l2.Service == nil) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if l1.Service != nil && l2.Service != nil {
+		if l1.Service.GetNamespace() != l2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if l1.Service.GetName() != l2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if l1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != l2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	if l1.Port != l2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.BasicDigestAuth).Equal(&l2.BasicDigestAuth) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.Denied != l2.Denied {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.EnableCORS != l2.EnableCORS {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.ExternalAuth).Equal(&l2.ExternalAuth) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.RateLimit).Equal(&l2.RateLimit) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.Redirect).Equal(&l2.Redirect) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.Whitelist).Equal(&l2.Whitelist) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.Proxy).Equal(&l2.Proxy) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (&l1.CertificateAuth).Equal(&l2.CertificateAuth) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.UsePortInRedirects != l2.UsePortInRedirects {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l1.ConfigurationSnippet != l2.ConfigurationSnippet {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (ptb1 *SSLPassthroughBackend) Equal(ptb2 *SSLPassthroughBackend) bool {
+	if ptb1 == ptb2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if ptb1 == nil || ptb2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if ptb1.Backend != ptb2.Backend {
+		return false
+	}
+	if ptb1.Hostname != ptb2.Hostname {
+		return false
+	}
+	if ptb1.Port != ptb2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if (ptb1.Service == nil && ptb2.Service != nil) ||
+		(ptb1.Service != nil && ptb2.Service == nil) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if ptb1.Service != nil && ptb2.Service != nil {
+		if ptb1.Service.GetNamespace() != ptb2.Service.GetNamespace() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if ptb1.Service.GetName() != ptb2.Service.GetName() {
+			return false
+		}
+		if ptb1.Service.GetResourceVersion() != ptb2.Service.GetResourceVersion() {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (e1 *L4Service) Equal(e2 *L4Service) bool {
+	if e1 == e2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if e1 == nil || e2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if e1.Port != e2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if !(&e1.Backend).Equal(&e2.Backend) {
+		return false
+	}
+	if len(e1.Endpoints) != len(e2.Endpoints) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, ep1 := range e1.Endpoints {
+		found := false
+		for _, ep2 := range e2.Endpoints {
+			if (&ep1).Equal(&ep2) {
+				found = true
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if !found {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+
+	return true
+}
+
+func (l4b1 *L4Backend) Equal(l4b2 *L4Backend) bool {
+	if l4b1 == l4b2 {
+		return true
+	}
+	if l4b1 == nil || l4b2 == nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l4b1.Port != l4b2.Port {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l4b1.Name != l4b2.Name {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l4b1.Namespace != l4b2.Namespace {
+		return false
+	}
+	if l4b1.Protocol != l4b2.Protocol {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	return true
+}