Dynamic http load balancing
First Claim
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1. A method of configuring a load balancer for dispatching client requests in a server farm comprising:
- initializing a load balancer by identifying address information for a plurality of servers in a server farm to said load balancer;
individually polling each of the plurality of servers by the load balancer so as to obtain a configuration file from each polled server if available, wherein;
each obtained configuration file contains the parameters necessary to configure the load balancer for bringing the associated polled server on-line; and
polling is implemented by repeating for each of said plurality of servers;
selecting by said load balancer, a next one of said plurality of servers;
sending a request across a corresponding network from said load balancer to said next one of said plurality of servers for a configuration file corresponding to said next one of said plurality of servers;
waiting for a reply from said next one of said plurality of servers;
receiving either said corresponding configuration file or an error message from said next one of said plurality of servers; and
validating parameters in said corresponding configuration file if received; and
configuring a load balancing algorithm by said load balancer in accordance with said parameters that were read out of each corresponding configuration file.
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Abstract
The invention is a method and apparatus for facilitating facilitates load balancing in a server farm. In accordance with various aspects of the invention, all of the information about each server necessary for a load balancing program to define and execute a load balancing algorithm is stored at a predetermined URL for each server. The load balancer can query the predefined URL, which returns the necessary information. The load balancer then dynamically configures the load balancing algorithm in accordance with the returned information.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of configuring a load balancer for dispatching client requests in a server farm comprising:
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initializing a load balancer by identifying address information for a plurality of servers in a server farm to said load balancer; individually polling each of the plurality of servers by the load balancer so as to obtain a configuration file from each polled server if available, wherein; each obtained configuration file contains the parameters necessary to configure the load balancer for bringing the associated polled server on-line; and polling is implemented by repeating for each of said plurality of servers; selecting by said load balancer, a next one of said plurality of servers; sending a request across a corresponding network from said load balancer to said next one of said plurality of servers for a configuration file corresponding to said next one of said plurality of servers; waiting for a reply from said next one of said plurality of servers; receiving either said corresponding configuration file or an error message from said next one of said plurality of servers; and validating parameters in said corresponding configuration file if received; and configuring a load balancing algorithm by said load balancer in accordance with said parameters that were read out of each corresponding configuration file. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A computer program product to configure a load balancer for dispatching client requests in a server farm, comprising:
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a computer readable storage device having computer usable program code embodied therewith, the computer usable program code comprising; computer usable code to initialize a load balancer by identifying address information for a plurality of servers in a server farm to said load balancer; computer usable code to individually poll each of the plurality of servers by the load balancer so as to obtain a configuration file from each polled server if available, wherein; each obtained configuration file contains the parameters necessary to configure the load balancer for bringing the associated polled server on-line; and polling is implemented by repeatedly executing for each of said plurality of servers; computer usable code to select by said load balancer, a next one of said plurality of servers; computer usable code to send a request across a corresponding network from said load balancer to said next one of said plurality of servers for a configuration file corresponding to said next one of said plurality of servers; computer usable code to wait for a reply from said next one of said plurality of servers; computer usable code to receive either said corresponding configuration file or an error message from said next one of said plurality of servers; and computer usable code to validate parameters in said corresponding configuration file if received; and computer usable program code to configure a load balancing algorithm by said load balancer in accordance with said parameters that were read out of each corresponding configuration file. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A load balancer for dispatching client requests in a server farm, comprising:
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a load balancer in data communication with a plurality of servers across a network connection, the load balancer having a processor and memory, wherein the processor is configured to; receive address information for a plurality of servers in a server farm to said load balancer that is entered into the load balancer by a user; poll each of the plurality of servers by the load balancer so as to obtain a configuration file from each polled server if available, wherein; each obtained configuration file contains the parameters necessary to configure the load balancer for bringing the associated polled server on-line; and polling is implemented by repeatedly executing for each of said plurality of servers; selecting by said load balancer, a next one of said plurality of servers; sending a request across a corresponding network from said load balancer to said next one of said plurality of servers for a configuration file corresponding to said next one of said plurality of servers; waiting for a reply from said next one of said plurality of servers; receiving either said corresponding configuration file or an error message from said next one of said plurality of servers; and validating parameters in said corresponding configuration file if received; and said processor further provided for configuring a load balancing algorithm by said load balancer in accordance with said parameters that were read out of each corresponding configuration file. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification