Load Balancing Algorithms
Load balancing algorithms are computational methods used to distribute network traffic or workloads across multiple servers or resources to optimize performance, reliability, and efficiency. They ensure no single server becomes overwhelmed, preventing bottlenecks and improving system availability. These algorithms are fundamental in distributed systems, cloud computing, and web services to handle high traffic and maintain scalability.
Developers should learn load balancing algorithms when designing or managing scalable applications, especially in cloud environments, microservices architectures, or high-traffic websites to prevent downtime and ensure even resource utilization. Use cases include distributing HTTP requests in web servers, balancing database queries, or managing compute tasks in clusters, such as in Kubernetes or AWS Elastic Load Balancing, to enhance fault tolerance and response times.