This is so timely for me, I've been wondering how I can visualize load balancing algorithms for the last few weeks.
When trying to explain why round robin is bad, I often try to describe a situation where a backend cluster with a wide variance in performance can cause a cluster of clients using round-robin load balancing to start developing a sort of harmonic resonance where all the clients slowly synchronize on which servers they are hitting. However, it's hard to explain in words and a visual simulation would help me explain.
Do you think it would be easy for me to hack the source and add multiple clients to the simulation?
Shouldn't be too hard to add the clients since, in terms of the animation, they're just flipped versions of the server. The question is if this resonance is going to require some intentionality to it to demonstrate/replicate.
When trying to explain why round robin is bad, I often try to describe a situation where a backend cluster with a wide variance in performance can cause a cluster of clients using round-robin load balancing to start developing a sort of harmonic resonance where all the clients slowly synchronize on which servers they are hitting. However, it's hard to explain in words and a visual simulation would help me explain.
Do you think it would be easy for me to hack the source and add multiple clients to the simulation?