Method for integrated load balancing among peer servers
First Claim
1. Apparatus for balancing network traffic among a group of servers, comprising:
- a plurality of load balancing modules, each load balancing module (a) associated with a different server and (b) having at least two network ports; and
an internal network of network segments connecting at least one network port of each load balancing module to a network port of at least one other load balancing module in said plurality of load balancing modules, and coupling every load balancing module, directly or through one or more load balancing modules, to each of the other load balancing modules,at least one of said load balancing modules having a network port coupled to an external network;
wherein said load balancing modules are configured in a plurality of zones, each zone comprising a master load balancing module and one or more slave load balancing modules, each master load balancing module balances loads by selecting, from among its own server and servers coupled to its one or more slave load balancing modules, a server to handle a network request; and
wherein, if its associated server fails or becomes disconnected, each load balancing module continues to balance loads by transferring a received network request to another load balancing module.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for balancing network loads among a group of computer servers. A load balancing module is provided for each server and includes multiple network ports for receiving network traffic and coupling messages to its server or to another module. The interconnect map for the modules is automatically determined by a topology discovery system and maintained by a topology update system. Each module monitors the loading and health of its server and provides this information to the other modules. One or more master modules are directly connected to an external network and route received traffic to their own servers and other servers through other modules or a networking switch based on a priority system. The priority system may be based on dynamic conditions of server capacities and current loading.
83 Citations
40 Claims
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1. Apparatus for balancing network traffic among a group of servers, comprising:
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a plurality of load balancing modules, each load balancing module (a) associated with a different server and (b) having at least two network ports; and an internal network of network segments connecting at least one network port of each load balancing module to a network port of at least one other load balancing module in said plurality of load balancing modules, and coupling every load balancing module, directly or through one or more load balancing modules, to each of the other load balancing modules, at least one of said load balancing modules having a network port coupled to an external network; wherein said load balancing modules are configured in a plurality of zones, each zone comprising a master load balancing module and one or more slave load balancing modules, each master load balancing module balances loads by selecting, from among its own server and servers coupled to its one or more slave load balancing modules, a server to handle a network request; and wherein, if its associated server fails or becomes disconnected, each load balancing module continues to balance loads by transferring a received network request to another load balancing module. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 40)
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18. A method for balancing network loads directed to a group of servers, comprising:
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using a group of load balancing modules arranged into zones, each load balancing module within a given zone integrated within a different server in said group of servers and through an internal network to each of the other load balancing modules within the given zone, to couple external network messages to each server, each zone comprising a master load balancing module and one or more slave load balancing modules, using a master balancing module within a zone to receive an external network message and balance loads within that zone by routing the message through said internal network to a server selected according to a priority system; and even if its server fails or becomes disconnected, each load balancing module continuing to balance loads by transferring a received network request to another load balancing module. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for load balancing network loads among a group of servers, comprising:
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a group of load balancing module means, one integrated within each server in the group of servers, for receiving an external network message and coupling the message to the server to which it is coupled or to another load balancing module means in accordance with a priority system; means for enabling each load balancing means to continue operating if said server fails in which said load balancing means is integrated, the load balancing means continues operating by transferring a received network request to another load balancing module; and priority means for selecting a server which is to receive the next external network message. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39)
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Specification