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Load balancing distributes incoming network traffic across multiple servers. It's like having multiple checkout lanes at a store — instead of everyone waiting in one line, traffic is spread across all lanes to keep things moving fast.
Why It Matters:
- Performance: No single server gets overwhelmed
- Reliability: If one server fails, others handle traffic
- Scalability: Add more servers to handle more traffic
- Efficiency: Better resource utilization
Load Balancing Algorithms:
- Round robin: Distribute requests evenly in rotation
- Least connections: Send to server with fewest active connections
- IP hash: Route based on client IP (sticky sessions)
- Weighted: Give more traffic to more powerful servers
Types:
- Hardware load balancer: Physical device
- Software load balancer: Runs on servers (like NGINX, HAProxy)
- Cloud load balancer: Managed service (AWS ELB, Cloudflare)
FAQ
Do I need load balancing?
If you have one server handling all traffic, probably not. If you have multiple servers or expect high traffic, yes.
What's session affinity?
Also called sticky sessions — ensures a user's requests go to the same server, important for stateful applications.