Software-Load-balancer

This project implements a simple load balancer using Flask in Python. The load balancer distributes incoming requests among a pool of backend servers using a round-robin or least-connecitonsalgorithm while also performing health checks on those servers.

Features

• Round-Robin Load Balancing: Incoming requests are distributed among available servers in a sequential manner to ensure even utilization.
• Least Connections Load Balancing: Incoming requests are forwarded to server with least active connections.
• Health Checks: Periodic health checks are performed on backend servers to ensure they are responsive and healthy.
• Dynamic Server Management: API endpoints are provided to dynamically upload and delete available servers from the load balancer.

Load Balancing Algorithms:

• Round Robin: The load balancer iterates through a group of backend-servers, dispatching requests to each one sequentially. Once it reaches the end of the list, it loops back to the beginning to continue the cycle. Round Robin is a static load balancing algorithm.
• Least Connections (default): This method directs traffic towards the server with the least active connections. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where the duration to process requests can fluctuate significantly. Least Connections is a dynamic load balancing algorithm.

How to Use

1. Installation: Clone the repository and install the required dependencies using pip:

   pip install -r requirements.txt
   

2. Configuration: Configure the load balancer by editing the config.json file. Specify the health check interval, server URLs, and the listening port.

3. Run the Load Balancer: Start the load balancer by running the main file:

   python load_balancer.py
   

4. API Endpoints:

   • POST /upload_server: Upload a new server to the load balancer.
   • DELETE /delete_server: Delete a server from the load balancer.

5. Usage: Send requests to the load balancer's root endpoint (/) to have them distributed among the available servers.

File Structure

• main.py: Main file containing the load balancer implementation.
• config.json: Configuration file specifying health check interval, server URLs, listening port, and load balancing algorithm.
• README.md: Documentation file.
• requirements.txt: List of dependencies.