What is the primary function of a load balancer in a network?

The primary function of a load balancer in a network is to distribute network traffic across multiple servers. This distribution optimizes resource use, maximizes throughput, minimizes response time, and ensures that no single server becomes overwhelmed with too many requests. By balancing the load, it enhances the reliability and availability of applications and services by directing users to the best-performing server at any given moment.

This function is crucial, especially in environments with high traffic volumes, as it helps maintain performance levels and ensures that users experience minimal downtime or slow performance. Additionally, load balancers can provide redundancy; if one server fails, the load balancer can redirect traffic to other operational servers, contributing to overall system resilience and reliability.