Apache Http Server

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Apache Http Server Load balancing

1. What is load balancing?
In computer networking world load balancing is a great technique for spreading work between
-Two or more computers
- Servers
- Network links
- CPUs
- Hard drives
-Printers
-other resources.
Benefits of load balancing:
- optimal resources utilization
- Maximizing throughput, and minimize response time.
- Using multiple components with load balancing, instead of a single component, may increase reliability through redundancy.

2. What are your different options (in general and with Apache) for load balancing?
The balancing service is usually provided by a dedicated program or hardware device (such as a multiplayer switch).
a) Round-robin DNS where a domain name resolution results in a set of IP address
b) Can be done using Hardware based load balancer
Advantages:
Transparently sits between servers and external VLAN
Simple to install
TCP/IP based application and not just HTTP
Disadvantages:
Costly and customization is difficult.
c) A software based load balancer. PLB (Pure Load Balancer) is open-source TCP based load balancer.
Windows 2003 servers supports network load balancing (NLB) which balances incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic across nodes in a ...