Applying the Load Balancing Factor (LBF)

The Load Balancing Factor controls the assignment of managed computers to the depots within a site.

The following rules apply:

  • If there is only one depot in a site, the load balancing factor is irrelevant.
  • If you have several depots in a site and do not want to control the load distribution, you can keep the LBF default value 0 for all the depots in the site. All depots will then be used with the same probability.
  • If you specify a value different than 0 for the LBF for one depot in the site, the LBFs for all depots of this site are considered.
  • If a new depot is added to a site, the sum of all LBFs will be incremented by the new LBF value; the loads between the depots will be distributed anew.
  • If all depots in a site have a load balancing factor (LBF) of 0, this default value will also be assigned to a new depot. If not, the new depot will be assigned the lowest LBF of all depots of this site with an LBF of greater than 0.
    Example:
    The depots of a site have the LBF values 0, 2, 3 and 5.
    2     will be assigned to a new depot.
  • If you are using LBFs and one depot in the site has the value 0, no managed computer will be assigned to this depot. By this, you can "shut down" a depot in this site for the managed computers.

How to assign a managed computer to a depot

The load balancing factors (LBFs) of all depots in a site are added together. Then the managed computer generates a random value that lies in between 0 (zero) and the sum of LBFs

Example:

  • DepotA: LBF 2
  • DepotB: LBF 6
  • Sum ist 8
  • Result:
    Random value 1+2 is assigned to DepotA
    Random value 3-8 is assigned to DepotB

    On a "statistical average", 2 out of  8 managed computers are thus assigned to DepotA in this site.

What does "statistical" mean:
It may happen that 6 out of  8 managed computers are already assigned to DepotB and managed computer no. 7 will also be assigned to DepotB (anyway)

If a managed computer is assigned to a depot, the depot name is written to the registry. The managed computer will “keep” the depot until the NIAGNT32 is restarted.

  • When determining the depot the DSM Client does not check how many computers are already assigned to the individual depots!
  • When connecting to a neighbor site the DSM Client always uses the first available depot; Ivanti DSM ignores the load balancing settings in the neighbor site.