A dynamic load balancing mechanism for distributed systems

Abstract

It is desirable in a distributed system to have the system load balanced evenly among the nodes so that the mean job response time is minimized. In this paper, we present a dynamic load balancing mechanism (DLB). It adopts a centralized approach and is network topology independent. The DLB mechanism employs a set of thresholds which are automatically adjusted as the system load changes. It also provides a simple mechanism for the system to switch between periodic and instantaneous load balancing policies with ease. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by intensive simulations for various parameters. The simulation results show that the mean job response time in a system implementing DLB algorithm is significantly lower than the same system without load balancings. Furthermore, compared with a previously proposed algorithm, DLB algorithm demonstrates improved performance, especially when the system is heavily loaded and the load is unevenly distributed.