Hey all, I want to implement distributed system with load balancing, but in a way, that would be invisible for the user, ie: Master server accepts connections for clients, and connects to the proper slave server (where the game takes place), and forwards all incomming data there. When player is at the border, the master server makes new connection to another slave server, and initiates players transfer to another server. Old connection is closed, and data is forwarded to the new server. But here comes the question. Is it efficient to use such "client<->master server<->slave server" approach? Will be master server able to handle the forward load? Probably then i will need multiple master servers too? Is it possible to implement this without master server? Maybe client acting as master server, but what if we are limmited on IP''s and we can''t have direct connections to slave servers? Any ideas?

quote: Is it possible to implement this without master server? Maybe client acting as master server, but what if we are limmited on IP's and we can't have direct connections to slave servers? Any ideas?

It is quite common to configure routers to forward traffic over different ports on the router's external IP-address to different servers on the internal network (servers that use internal IP-addresses). So you really just need to get one IP-address from your ISP and a router.

[edited by - HenryApe on January 16, 2003 5:26:37 AM]

DOH! Port forwarding!!! Why i didn''t thought about this... Thanks for the help :-D

Or just use Beowulf-style clustering, where all machines look like on from the outside, but most definitely are different on the inside (well, more or less).