VMware, Inc.
Integrated application-aware load balancer incorporated within a distributed-service-application-controlled distributed computer system

Abstract:

The current document is directed to an integrated application-aware load-balancing component of a distributed computer system. The integrated application-aware load-balancing component is, in a described embodiment, incorporated within a distributed application that serves as a control component of multiple physical computers within a distributed computer system. The integrated application-aware load-balancing component includes a layer-4 load-balancing subcomponent that distributes communications connections initiated by remote client computers among computational nodes within the distributed computer system in order to balance the computational load applied to the distributed application and distributed computer system by the remote client computers. The integrated application-aware load-balancing component additionally includes a layer-7 load-balancing subcomponent that redistributes client requests among cluster nodes within the distributed computer system in order to enhance balancing of the computational load applied to the distributed application and distributed computer system by the remote client computers. Operation of the layer-4 and layer-7 load balancers are controlled and/or adjusted by rules and policies informed by performance and operational characteristics of the distributed application and distributed computer system.