Patent ID: 7254626
Filing Date: 2007-08-07
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of providing load balancing among host servers using a load balance switch and a plurality of site switches that each couple at least one of the host servers to a network, the method comprising: collecting, at the site switches, a site-specific metrics indicative of access conditions to the at least one of the host servers coupled to the respective site switch; receiving, at the load balance switch, the site-specific metrics collected at the site switches for a set of performance metrics, wherein the set of performance metrics includes a connection-load metric that represents a measure of new connections per second at each respective site switch, the connection-load metric being determined by: whenever network addresses are provided in response to a query, arranging the network addresses as an ordered list in accordance with the set of performance metrics; and sending the ordered list of network addresses as a response to the query.