Load balancing in distributed computing systems

A computing device for facilitating load balancing in a distributed computing system having multiple servers interconnected by a computer network, the computing device comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
• receive, from a first server, a request packet via the computer network, the request packet requesting a remote direct memory access (“RDMA”) connection with one or more other servers selectable by the computing device for establishing the RDMA connection with the first server, wherein the request packet includes an RDMA header configurable based on RDMA header operation codes defined based on an RDMA protocol, the RDMA header comprising the connection request for establishing the RDMA connection, wherein the RDMA protocol establishes rules for processing RDMA packets communicated through load balancers;
• in response to the received request packet,
• determine a second server in the distributed computing system to establish the requested RDMA connection with the first server, the second server having a second address in the computer network;
• encapsulate the request packet with an outer header having a destination field containing the second address of the second server;
• and
• forward the encapsulated request packet to the second server;
• and perform no further actions in facilitating establishment, packet transmission, or demolishment of the requested RDMA connection between the first and second servers.

A method of facilitating load balancing in a distributed computing system having multiple servers interconnected by a computer network, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a destination server, a request packet from a load balancer via the computer network, the request packet requesting a remote direct memory access (“RDMA”) connection between an originating server and one or more other servers selectable by the load balancer, wherein the request packet includes an RDMA header configurable based on RDMA header operation codes defined based on an RDMA protocol, the RDMA header comprising the connection request for establishing the RDMA connection, wherein the RDMA protocol establishes rules for processing RDMA packets communicated through load balancers;
• and
• in response to receiving the request packet,
• configuring, at the destination server, a rule for processing additional packets transmittable to the originating server via the RDMA connection based on the received reply packet, the rule being configured to encapsulate an outgoing packet transmittable to the originating server with an outer header having a destination field containing a network address of the originating server and a source field containing another network address of the destination server;
• generating, at the destination server, a reply packet in response to the received request packet, the reply packet for establishing an RDMA connection with the destination server;
• and
• processing the generated reply packet according to the configured rule before transmitting the processed reply packet to the originating server via the computer network.