Flow rate based network load balancing

One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of an ingress top-of-rack switch in a spine-leaf network, cause the processor to:

• receive a packet associated with a packet flow;
• determine, from the received packet, identification information for the packet flow, wherein the identification information includes at least a source and a destination associated with the packet flow;
• based on the identification information, determine an instantaneous flow rate for a first path through the spine-leaf network from the source to the destination, wherein the instantaneous flow rate is determined over a first time period;
• compare the instantaneous flow rate for the first path to an average flow rate;
• and
• based on the comparison between the instantaneous flow rate to the average flow rate, assign the packet flow to one of the first path or a second path, wherein the second path is different than the first path.

An apparatus comprising:

• a plurality of network ports configured to receive inbound packets and to send outbound packets in a spine-leaf network;
• a processor coupled to the plurality of network ports, wherein the processor is configured to:
• receive a packet associated with a packet flow;
• determine, from the received packet, identification information for the packet flow, wherein the identification information includes at least a source and a destination associated with the packet flow;
• based on the identification information, determine an instantaneous flow rate for a first path through the spine-leaf network from the source to the destination, wherein the instantaneous flow rate is determined over a first time period;
• compare the instantaneous flow rate for the first path to an average flow rate;
• and
• based on the comparison between the instantaneous flow rate to the average flow rate, assign the packet flow to one of the first path or a second path, wherein the second path is different than the first path.