Patent ID: 8892768

Claim:
A load balancing apparatus comprising: a list storing unit that stores therein a relay device list table containing addresses of relay devices on which load balancing is performed by the load balancing apparatus; a rule storing unit that stores therein a load balancing apparatus transfer rule in which a path control identifier for identifying a session between a client device and a relay device that distributes a message to a server device is associated with relay device information for specifying the relay device, included in the relay device list table, that creates the path control identifier; an identifier determining unit that determines, when the message is received from the client device, whether the path control identifier is contained in the message; a first distribution unit that specifies, when the identifier determining unit determines that the path control identifier is contained, relay device information that is associated with the path control identifier from the load balancing apparatus transfer rule stored in the rule storing unit and then sends the message to the relay device that is specified by the specified relay device information; and a second distribution unit that sends, when the identifier determining unit determines that the path control identifier is not contained, the message to the specified relay device in accordance with a predetermined condition.