Importance

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Abstract

A system and method for balancing the load on virtual servers managed by server array controllers at separate data centers that are geographically distributed on a wide area network such as the Internet. The virtual servers provide access to resources associated with a domain name request by a client program. When a Primary Domain Name System (DNS) determined the requested domain name is delegated to a EDNS, the EDNS employs metric information and statistics to resolve an ip address for a virtual server that is selected by the EDNS to optimally balance the load and provide access to resources associated with the domain name. The EDNS may employ a static or a dynamic load balancing method to select the virtual server most suited to balance the load across all of the virtual servers. The EDNS may include a Primary DNS or a Secondary DNS. The EDNS employs an agent program located at geographically distributed data centers to collect metric information related to a host machine, server array controller, virtual servers and the path for providing resources associated with the domain name to a client making the request. The EDNS collects the metric information from the agent program out of band of the domain name resolution process. The server array controller may include the agent program and the agent program may be provided as a stand alone machine that is coupled to the server array controller or a host machine.

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First Claim