Within an organization, the right number of servers, terminals and central processing units (CPUs) will determine the speed and efficiency of that organization’s network. Employees don’t want to deal with long wait times or keep clients waiting when retrieving information. For efficient, high-quality data access and processing, a load-balancing solution is necessary to stay productive while avoiding bottlenecks, server crashes and long waits.
Load Balancing Defined
Load balancing is a technique used to divide work between computers, thereby enabling businesses to service workloads faster. One can use hardware, software or a combination of the two in order to enhance processing efficiency. Server clustering is a means of load balancing that enlists a series of servers to function as a single system and is ideal for established enterprises. Cross-functional teams can also develop system requirements and collaborate with technical personnel on workflow improvements. Data volumes, existing IT systems and operational objectives all play a part in making wise load-balancing decisions.
The Balancing Process
Load balancers receive workloads before they’re distributed to servers or individual computers. The balancing application analyzes the existing IT infrastructure and determines the optimal place to send work to. If an infrastructure spans multiple geographic regions, location becomes a variable in the distribution algorithm. The balancing process is designed to optimize systems, which makes understanding the operational requirements a necessity. In particular, websites often need load balancing due to the high volume of user traffic. Load balancers’ main focus is on logistics and available server capacity.
Load Balancer Persistence
In a Web hosting environment, load balancing persistence plays a large role in user experiences and processing speeds. User requests, IP addresses, firewalls and enterprise IT devices factor into the functionality of Web support systems. Server configuration is critical for websites, and load balancing helps maneuver traffic in a way that delivers fast and effective service. The process of optimizing balancing persistence is highly technical and requires the use of engineers or technicians. Additionally, third-party contractors can install or upgrade load balancer solutions.
Lean and Process Excellence
Overprocessing, excess transportation, defects and reworking will have a financial impact on an enterprise and detract from the bottom line. IT resource allocation within an organization impacts quality and competitive advantage in the marketplace. If workloads are being rerouted or placed in a queue to wait for processing, bottlenecks will occur and turnaround times will suffer. Many organizations are striving for process excellence and industry leadership status. Load balancing is a practical solution for removing waste from systems and staying ahead of the competition.
Benefits for Stakeholders
Management is responsible for the efficiency of operations, and fast, accurate data processing leads to positive results for stakeholders. In particular, downstream customers benefit from high-quality service and support, and employees don’t have to scramble to complete tasks. Since servers and terminals aren’t being overused, fixed assets have longer, useful lives, saving businesses money over the long run. System optimization and customer satisfaction are critical for success, and streamlined IT infrastructures will produce reliable outcomes.
The efficiency of data processing directly affects profit margins, employee morale and the ability of businesses to remain competitive in the marketplace. When traffic is slowing down the company network and causing some long waits, load balancing is a practical method for streamlining workload distribution and IT infrastructure.
