Verify Load Balancing using Extended Ping

Network Setup for Load Balancing

RT1#sh ip route

Gateway of last resort is not set

R    36.0.0.0/8 [120/2] via 12.12.12.2, 00:00:07, FastEthernet0/0
R    23.0.0.0/8 [120/1] via 12.12.12.2, 00:00:07, FastEthernet0/0
R    56.0.0.0/8 [120/2] via 14.14.14.4, 00:00:08, FastEthernet1/0
     12.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C       12.12.12.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0/0
C    192.168.1.0/24 is directly connected, Loopback0
R    192.168.2.0/24 [120/3] via 14.14.14.4, 00:00:08, FastEthernet1/0
                    [120/3] via 12.12.12.2, 00:00:07, FastEthernet0/0
     14.0.0.0/24 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C       14.14.14.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet1/0
R    45.0.0.0/8 [120/1] via 14.14.14.4, 00:00:08, FastEthernet1/0
RT1#
RT1#ping 192.168.2.1 source 192.168.1.1

Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.2.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
Packet sent with a source address of 192.168.1.1
!!!!!
Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 16/28/48 ms
RT1#
RT1#ping
Protocol [ip]:
Target IP address: 192.168.2.1
Repeat count [5]:
Datagram size [100]:
Timeout in seconds [2]:
Extended commands [n]: y
Source address or interface: 192.168.1.1
Type of service [0]:
Set DF bit in IP header? [no]:
Validate reply data? [no]:
Data pattern [0xABCD]:
Loose, Strict, Record, Timestamp, Verbose[none]: r
Number of hops [ 9 ]:
Loose, Strict, Record, Timestamp, Verbose[RV]:
Sweep range of sizes [n]:
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.2.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
Packet sent with a source address of 192.168.1.1
Packet has IP options:  Total option bytes= 39, padded length=40
 Record route: <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)
   (0.0.0.0)

Reply to request 0 (48 ms).  Received packet has options
 Total option bytes= 40, padded length=40
 Record route:
   (12.12.12.1)
   (23.23.23.2)
   (36.36.36.3)
   (192.168.2.1)
   (36.36.36.6)
   (23.23.23.3)
   (12.12.12.2)
   (192.168.1.1) <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
 End of list

Reply to request 1 (12 ms).  Received packet has options
 Total option bytes= 40, padded length=40
 Record route:
   (14.14.14.1)
   (45.45.45.4)
   (56.56.56.5)
   (192.168.2.1)
   (56.56.56.6)
   (45.45.45.5)
   (14.14.14.4)
   (192.168.1.1) <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
 End of list

Reply to request 2 (28 ms).  Received packet has options
 Total option bytes= 40, padded length=40
 Record route:
   (12.12.12.1)
   (23.23.23.2)
   (36.36.36.3)
   (192.168.2.1)
   (36.36.36.6)
   (23.23.23.3)
   (12.12.12.2)
   (192.168.1.1) <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
 End of list

Reply to request 3 (52 ms).  Received packet has options
 Total option bytes= 40, padded length=40
 Record route:
   (14.14.14.1)
   (45.45.45.4)
   (56.56.56.5)
   (192.168.2.1)
   (56.56.56.6)
   (45.45.45.5)
   (14.14.14.4)
   (192.168.1.1) <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
 End of list

Reply to request 4 (48 ms).  Received packet has options
 Total option bytes= 40, padded length=40
 Record route:
   (12.12.12.1)
   (23.23.23.2)
   (36.36.36.3)
   (192.168.2.1)
   (36.36.36.6)
   (23.23.23.3)
   (12.12.12.2)
   (192.168.1.1) <*>
   (0.0.0.0)
 End of list

Success rate is 100 percent (5/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 12/37/52 ms
RT1#

The Record option is very useful as it displays the addresses of the hops (up to 9) the packet goes through.
The difference between using the Record option of the extended ping command and the traceroute command is that, the Record option not only inform the hops that an ICMP Echo Request went through to get to the destination, but also inform the hops it visited on the return path (the path an ICMP Echo Reply takes).
The traceroute command does not provide such information.
The limitation is that it can only report up to a maximum of 9 hops.