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You're reading from  Mastering Kubernetes, - Third Edition

Product typeBook
Published inJun 2020
PublisherPackt
ISBN-139781839211256
Edition3rd Edition
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Author (1)
Gigi Sayfan
Gigi Sayfan
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Gigi Sayfan

Gigi Sayfan has been developing software for 25+ years in domains as diverse as instant messaging, morphing, chip fabrication process control, embedded multimedia applications for game consoles, brain-inspired ML, custom browser development, web services for 3D distributed game platforms, IoT sensors, virtual reality, and genomics. He has written production code in languages such as Go, Python, C, C++, C#, Java, Delphi, JavaScript, and even Cobol and PowerBuilder for operating systems such as Windows (3.11 through 7), Linux, macOS, Lynx (embedded), and Sony PlayStation. His technical expertise includes databases, low-level networking, distributed systems, containers, unorthodox user interfaces, modern web applications, and general SDLC.
Read more about Gigi Sayfan

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Load balancing options

Load balancing is a critical capability in dynamic systems, such as a Kubernetes cluster. Nodes, VMs, and pods come and go, but the clients typically can't keep track of which individual entities can service their requests. Even if they could, it requires a complicated dance of managing a dynamic map of the cluster, refreshing it frequently, and handling disconnected, unresponsive, or just slow nodes.

This so-called client-side load balancing is appropriate in special cases only. Server-side load balancing is a battle-tested and well-understood mechanism that adds a layer of indirection that hides the internal turmoil from the clients or consumers outside the cluster. There are options for external as well as internal load balancers. You can also mix and match and use both. The hybrid approach has its own particular pros and cons, such as performance versus flexibility.

External load balancer

An external load balancer is a load balancer...

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Mastering Kubernetes, - Third Edition
Published in: Jun 2020Publisher: PacktISBN-13: 9781839211256

Author (1)

author image
Gigi Sayfan

Gigi Sayfan has been developing software for 25+ years in domains as diverse as instant messaging, morphing, chip fabrication process control, embedded multimedia applications for game consoles, brain-inspired ML, custom browser development, web services for 3D distributed game platforms, IoT sensors, virtual reality, and genomics. He has written production code in languages such as Go, Python, C, C++, C#, Java, Delphi, JavaScript, and even Cobol and PowerBuilder for operating systems such as Windows (3.11 through 7), Linux, macOS, Lynx (embedded), and Sony PlayStation. His technical expertise includes databases, low-level networking, distributed systems, containers, unorthodox user interfaces, modern web applications, and general SDLC.
Read more about Gigi Sayfan