Patent ID: 7454500
Filing Date: 2008-11-18
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of load balancing among host servers of a data network, the method comprising; storing, in a load balancing switch of the data network, round trip time data for a plurality of host server site switches, wherein the round trip time data for a host server site switch from the plurality of host server site switches indicates a time for exchanging at least one message between the host server site switch and a first client machine of the data network, wherein each host server site switch from the plurality of host server site switches is associated with one or more host servers of the data network, the one or more host servers associated with a host server site switch being reachable via the host server site switch; and ordering, in the load balancing switch, a plurality of network addresses, the plurality of network addresses being responsive to a query regarding a host name, the plurality of network addresses determined from resolution of the host name, the plurality of network addresses comprising network addresses of multiple host server site switches from the plurality of host server site switches, wherein the load balancing switch is capable of ordering the plurality of network addresses based, at least in part, on the round trip time data stored for the multiple host server site switches.