Load balancing is a computer networking methodology that’s been designed to boost reliability and productivity across a network, reducing downtime and ultimately enhancing overall operations. It distributes the workload across multiple computers or a computer cluster, network links, central processing units, disk drives or other resources in order to achieve optimal resource utilisation whilst maximising throughput, minimising response times and avoiding overload—load balancing allows multiple components to be used (rather than a single component) which can increase reliability through redundancy, ensuring the network doesn’t get overloaded and allowing for optimum resource utilisation at all times. A load balancing service of this kind is usually provided by dedicated software or hardware, such as a multilayer switch or Domain Name System server, for optimum results.
