Method and apparatus for global server load balancing

A method for load balancing between servers coupled to a network, the method comprising:

• using a network protocol to dynamically assign a network address to each of a plurality of servers;
• maintaining at a content owner site server load data and the network address of each of the plurality of servers;
• receiving a client request from a client device at the content owner site server, wherein the client request is addressed to a virtual network address of the content owner site server;
• using the load data of the plurality of servers to determine a selected server from the plurality of servers;
• sending a client response from the content owner site to the client device, the client response comprising a network address of the selected server;
• and
• sending an application request from the client device to the selected server using a redirect feature of the network protocol, wherein routing information for the network address of the selected server causes the application request to be sent to a redirection device for further routing to the selected server.

A method for load balancing between a plurality of servers at a data center, the method comprising:

• providing a foreign agent at the data center;
• providing a home agent at a content owner site;
• using a mobile IP mechanism to dynamically allocate a plurality of network addresses to the plurality of servers;
• maintaining load data and the plurality of network addresses of the plurality of servers at a content owner site server;
• receiving a client request message from a client device at the content owner site server;
• using the load data to determine a selected server from the plurality of servers;
• and
• sending a client response message from the content owner site server to the client device, wherein the client response message comprises a network address of the selected server.