How does a load balancer function with servers?

A load balancer is an essential component in a distributed computing environment, primarily responsible for distributing network traffic across multiple servers. By doing so, it ensures that no single server becomes overwhelmed with requests while others remain underutilized. This not only helps in optimizing resource use but also enhances the overall performance and reliability of applications by providing redundancy and fault tolerance.

When traffic is evenly distributed, a load balancer can facilitate faster response times for users, as each server is tasked with a manageable volume of requests. Moreover, if one server fails or becomes overloaded, the load balancer can reroute requests to other operational servers, thereby maintaining seamless service without noticeable interruption to end-users.

Unlike storing backup data or connecting servers to external clients, the primary function of a load balancer is active management of how incoming traffic is handled across multiple servers, leading to improved efficiency and performance for web applications and services.