A distributed system is a cluster of independent components in which various parts are allocated over several computing devices linked via a network. These devices divide the work and coordinate their efforts to complete the task more quickly than if placed in one device.
In information technology, the terms load balancing and load sharing are used interchangeably. Understanding the distinction between these two phrases might help us know why or why not to make certain modifications to a network.
Load balancing is a method to distribute the workload among distributed system nodes. It maximizes resource efficiency and workload response time while minimizing situations where specific nodes are unavailable and heavily loaded. In contrast, others are idle or performing little work.
Load balancing increases throughput while decreasing response time to server queries. It spreads traffic load across various network pathways to spread requests and protect the website from overloading.
This form of balancing might be physical (through parallel servers) or virtual (via virtual private server). Load balancers perform health checks on servers and may remove substandard servers from the network for restoration.
Load sharing is an inherent characteristic of server-to-endpoint device forwarding. In general, algorithms prefer to direct more traffic to more efficient routes.
The goal of load balancing products is to build a distributed network in which requests are dispersed evenly across many servers. Meanwhile, load sharing requires sending some traffic to one server and others. The loads don't have to be equal; they only have to be configured so that they don't overwhelm the entire system.
In the illustration below, all the VLAN devices have an equal distributed workload transferred through routers.
Here're some key differences between the two techniques:
Load balancing | Load sharing |
It's evenly distributing network traffic or load over many channels. It may use both static and dynamic load balancing. | It directs a portion of the network's traffic or load to one connection while the balance is routed through other channels. |
It isn't easy to have an accurate load balancing. | Load sharing is relatively easy than load balancing. |
No instance in load balancing is sharing the load. | All instances in it are sharing the load. |
Load balancing employs the establishment of ratios, least connections, fastest, round robin, and experimental techniques. | Load Spreading is based on sharing network traffic or load among connections depending on destination IP or MAC address choices. |
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