Patent ID: 7392318

Claim:
A method for balancing a traffic load on a server in a half-duplexed internet protocol (IP) based network that uses an address resolution protocol (ARP) for address resolution, wherein the server includes at least first, second, and third network interface cards (NICS), and wherein the server is accessible either directly to a client that stores a single IP address identifying the server or indirectly to a client via a router or gateway that stores a single IP address identifying the server, the method comprising: sending outbound traffic only via the first and second NICs, wherein the server is configured to only send and to disallow receipt of traffic via the first and second NICs; and receiving inbound traffic only via the third NIC, wherein the server is configured to only receive and to disallow receipt of traffic via the third NIC, so that an impact of the inbound traffic on the server will be minimized.