Interland, Inc.

Russell C Hay

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that translates host names into Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. This system includes a plurality of name servers that are configured to translate host names into corresponding IP addresses. This system also includes a plurality of load balancers coupled to the plurality of name servers. Each of these load balancers is configured to receive requests for host name translations, and to distribute these requests between the plurality of name servers in order to balance load across the plurality of name servers. Note that these load balancers are configured to operate in parallel in distributing requests between the plurality of name servers. A variation on the above embodiment provides a system that performs failovers between a plurality of load balancers that are configured to balance requests for host name to IP address translations between a plurality of name servers. The system operates by sending a keep alive packet from a load balancer to a first neighboring load balancer, and then waiting for a response to the keep alive packet in order to determine if the first neighboring load balancer remains alive. If the first neighboring load balancer does not remain alive, the load balancer takes over servicing of translation requests directed to the first neighboring load balancer.

Method and apparatus for facilitating load balancing across name servers

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that schedules processes within an operating system based upon virtual server identifiers, wherein the operating system supports multiple virtual servers that operate within separate virtual environments on a single computing platform. Upon detecting an event that causes a scheduling priority for a process to be updated, the system looks up a virtual server identifier for the process. This virtual server identifier specifies a virtual server and an associated virtual environment that the process operates within. Next, the system uses the virtual server identifier to look up a scheduling priority associated with the virtual server, and then calculates an updated scheduling priority for the process based upon the scheduling priority for the virtual server.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Russell C Hay