Patent ID: 7310674

Claim:
A load balancer for network processors comprising: load balance control units connected in series, each of the load balance control units receiving input information received by receiving means to execute a distribution process for determining, as a distribution destination of the input information, one of the network processors according to a predetermined distribution condition, per input information, wherein upon commencement of the reception of the input information by the receiving means, only the load balance control unit of a first stage executes the distribution process, each of the load balance control units of the second and subsequent stages following the load balance control unit of the first stage monitors the distribution process executed by the load balance control unit of a previous stage without executing the distributing process, when distribution destinations of the input information have been determined by the load balance control unit of the previous stage concentrates into a specific network processor within the network processors, starts the distribution process to perform re-determining a distribution destinations with respect to only the input information to which distribution to the specific network processor has been determined by the load balance control unit of the previous stage according to a distribution condition different from the distribution condition used in the load balance control unit of the previous stage; wherein each of the load balance control units which have already been started in the distribution process continue the distribution process regardless of commencement of the distribution process at the load balance control unit of a next stage.