Qualitative Parametric Comparison of Load Balancing Algorithms in Distributed Computing Environment

Abstract

Substantive research in the field of distributed computing has shown that in a multi-processor system the probability of one of the processor being idle while other processor has multiple jobs queued up can be very high. Such imbalances in system load suggest that performance can be improved by either transferring jobs from the currently heavily loaded processors to the lightly loaded ones or distributing load evenly or fairly among the processors. The algorithms known as load balancing algorithms, helps to achieve the above said goal(s). These algorithms come into two basic categories - static and dynamic. While static load balancing algorithms (SLB) take decisions regarding assignment of tasks to processors based on the average estimated values of process execution times and communication delays at compile time, Dynamic load balancing algorithms (DLB) are adaptive to changing situations and take decisions at run time. The objective of this paper work is Firstly, to identify qualitative parameters for the comparison of above said algorithms and Secondly, to carry out comparison between SLB and DLB algorithms based on these identified parameters. In future this work can be extended to develop a virtual experimental environment to study these load balancing algorithms based on identified comparative parameters quantitatively.