Load Balancing

When incoming requests to an application can overwhelm a single server's capacity, Peak 10-Richmond uses load balancing technologies from Foundry Networks and the open-source Linux Virtual Server project to route the request among several servers. We will tailor the distribution algorithm to match the needs of your application. This methodology works best for web and application (Java/.Net/Zope) servers as each application request is independent from any other task or request on the system.

Server Cluster

If your web site, database or application demands a higher level of performance or availability, then clustering with a commodity infrastructure is your solution. Clustering refers to splitting up a single process and data set over multiple servers. Clustering can dramatically improve the reliability and throughput of an Internet-based system. However, clustering requires a great deal of technical knowledge if the system is to be properly set-up and maintained.

Peak 10-Richmond's clustering experience includes configuring, integrating, hosting and managing both high availability and high performance web/application/database server farms around industry-leading applications. For a multi-tiered web application or high-traffic website, we typically deploy a combination of technologies to meet our clients' business requirements. Examples of these technologies include:

High-Availability

To increase fault tolerance in the event of a server hardware failure or even an operating system or application hang, the best course is to have a like resource ready to take over the processing load. Peak 10-Richmond implements high-availability (HA) solutions using tools such as the open-source Heartbeat or Microsoft's Cluster Service to ensure that a hot-standby server can be brought into service smoothly in place of the failed resource. We have demonstrated that HA works well in many applications, including database and storage failover, redundant firewalls and application servers.

Replication and Storage Area Networking

Safeguarding and maintaining critical data availability requires that processes and resources be in place to both keep real-time copies of the data, as well as make it available to multiple server resources on demand. Peak 10-Richmond is well versed in applying data replication technologies including:

Storage area networking also allows us to pool shared storage and share it among different servers as needed. This facilitates a smoother transfer in a high-availability design, as well as a consolidated means to manage and backup the data for all of the servers in a cluster.

Need more info about Richmond Load Balancing at Peak 10?
Contact Us today or call us at (804) 644-5109.