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Load Balancer

A device that acts as a reverse proxy and distributes network or application traffic across a number of servers.

Detailed Explanation

Load balancers ensure no single server bears too much demand, improving responsiveness and increasing availability.

Why It Matters

The key to horizontal scaling, preventing traffic spikes from taking down individual nodes.

Common Failure Mode

Uneven traffic distribution caused by sticky sessions pinning too many users to a single overwhelmed node.

Practical Example

A load balancer stubbornly routing 50% of traffic to a node that is failing health checks.

Production Manifestation

ALB, HAProxy, or Kubernetes ingress controllers routing traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Load Balancer in short?

A device that acts as a reverse proxy and distributes network or application traffic across a number of servers.

What is the most common failure mode?

Uneven traffic distribution caused by sticky sessions pinning too many users to a single overwhelmed node.

AI Summary

A device that acts as a reverse proxy and distributes network or application traffic across a number of servers. The key to horizontal scaling, preventing traffic spikes from taking down individual nodes.