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Load balancing is a necessary process in order to ensure networks are optimized to operate at maximum performance capacity. If you want to get the best performance out of your machines as a future IT professional, load balancing can definitely help you do just that. However, there are a number of common load balancing algorithms that can be put to use. It is certainly a bit more complicated than using the latest inventory control software. Find out about these different types of load balancing strategies below.
Round Robin
In the Round Robin load balancing algorithm, requests are evenly distributed across any group of servers in a sequential order. Round Robin works by rotating the list of services that are attached to the method. When a request is received, this algorithm assigns the connection to the first listed service. Then, it moves that same service to the bottom of the list, and the process starts all over again. This is one of the most common types of load balancing algorithms used.
Least Packets
The least packets method is one of the simplest load balancing methods to understand. It is just as the name implies. This algorithm first chooses the service that has received the fewest packets over a designated time period. This is done for every single request, which effectively balances the computing power. The least packets algorithm is not quite as popular as the Round Robin method, but it is still used quite frequently by companies like Saudi Aramco.
Least Connections
The least connections algorithm is the default used by most networks. This default dictates that the virtual server load balancer use the service with the fewest active connections. This is done by the load balancer monitoring the number of each server’s open connections. Then, it send the request to the server that is least busy. This standard is often used by those with little knowledge of the more complex load balancing algorithms.
Custom Load
The custom load algorithm is not quite as customized as the name may imply. In fact, the custom load method just dictates that the load balancer chooses the service with no active transactions in the works. If all services are busy, whichever one has the littlest load is the one that receives the request. This is a basic load balancing technique commonly in use that is similar to many media monitoring techniques.
Source IP Hash
The source IP hash method of load balancing is based on the IP address of the source. In this method, requests are distributed to backend servers based on the source IP address that made the request. This load balancing algorithm guarantees that any user will always be connected to the same server no matter when they access the endpoint.
If you are a beginner in the field of IT, you want to familiarize yourself with the various load balancing methods utilized in the field. These load balancing algorithms are some of the most commonly used that you will encounter. Memorizes these types of load balancing strategies. This is sure to help you do well in your future IT career.
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