Ladenverteilung

Ladenverteilung, also known as load balancing, is a technique used in computer networking and distributed systems to distribute workloads across multiple servers or resources. The primary goal of load distribution is to optimize resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid overloading any single resource.

In a typical setup, a load balancer acts as a reverse proxy that sits in front of a group of servers. When incoming client requests arrive, the load balancer intelligently forwards these requests to one of the available servers based on a specific algorithm. Common algorithms include round-robin, where requests are distributed sequentially; least connections, which sends requests to the server with the fewest active connections; and IP hash, which directs requests from the same client IP address to the same server.

Load distribution is crucial for maintaining high availability and reliability. If one server fails, the load balancer can automatically redirect traffic to the remaining healthy servers, ensuring continuous service for users. This prevents single points of failure and improves the overall resilience of an application or service.

The implementation of load distribution can vary from simple software solutions to sophisticated hardware appliances. The choice often depends on the scale of the operation, the complexity of the traffic, and the required level of performance and fault tolerance. Effective load distribution is a cornerstone of modern web infrastructure, enabling scalable and robust applications.