Practice load balancer vocabulary: Layer 4 vs Layer 7, balancing algorithms, health checks, sticky sessions, and AWS ALB configuration.
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What is the key difference between a Layer 4 and a Layer 7 load balancer?
A Layer 4 LB routes based on network-level info (IP, TCP port). A Layer 7 LB inspects HTTP content — headers, paths, cookies — enabling path-based routing, A/B traffic splits, etc.
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'The ___ check is failing for 2 of 5 instances.' Which noun fits?
'Health check' is the standard term for the periodic probe a load balancer uses to verify each backend instance is alive and ready to serve traffic.
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What are 'sticky sessions' in load balancer configuration?
Sticky sessions (also called session persistence or session affinity) ensure a user's requests always go to the same backend — important for stateful applications that store session data in memory.
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In 'round-robin vs. least-connections' load balancing, what is least-connections?
Least-connections routing sends new requests to the backend with the fewest current active connections — better than round-robin when request processing times vary significantly.
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'We use AWS ALB with ___ target groups.' Which adjective describes split-traffic routing?
AWS ALB supports 'weighted target groups' — you can direct, say, 90% of traffic to the stable version and 10% to a canary, enabling gradual rollouts and A/B testing.
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Sarah from DevOps is commenting on a PR update for the new user authentication service. She writes: 'The load balancer is showing high latency to requests hitting the API Gateway. We should investigate if using a session affinity rule would improve performance.' What does 'session affinity' refer to in this context?
Session affinity, also known as sticky sessions, ensures that a user's requests are consistently routed to the same server during a session. This is commonly used to maintain stateful connections or improve performance by reducing network latency. Options A and C represent different architectural patterns; option D focuses on monitoring rather than routing behavior.
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Mark in the Slack channel #dev-ops is discussing an issue with a newly deployed load balancer. He says: 'The health check is failing for 2 of 5 instances.' Which noun best describes the status indicated by this message?
The phrase 'health check failing for 2 of 5 instances' indicates a problem with the operational status of individual server instances. A health check is a diagnostic tool used to determine if an instance is responsive and healthy. Options A, C, and D refer to different concepts related to monitoring or alerting systems.
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During a standup meeting, David explains the load balancer configuration for the new microservice. He describes using 'weighted round robin' distribution. What does 'weighted' mean in this context?
In 'weighted round robin' load balancing, the 'weighted' aspect signifies that each backend server is assigned a different probability or weight. This allows you to prioritize certain servers based on their capacity or performance; for example, assigning a higher weight to a more powerful server. Options A and C represent alternative load balancing methods.
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Emily is writing a PR description for a change that introduces an AWS Application Load Balancer (ALB). She needs to describe how the ALB handles traffic distribution. Which phrase best describes the ALB's core function?
The Application Load Balancer (ALB) is primarily designed to distribute incoming HTTP/HTTPS traffic across multiple target groups. This distribution is based on rules you configure, such as path-based routing or host-based routing. Options A and D represent other functions of an ALB or related services.
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John, a senior engineer, is reviewing a new deployment script that uses a load balancer. He asks: 'We use AWS ALB with split-traffic routing.' Which adjective describes the behavior of this configuration?
'Split-traffic routing' implies that the ALB dynamically distributes traffic based on various criteria (e.g., HTTP headers, URL paths). This dynamic behavior is characterized by 'dynamic' routing, where the distribution changes in response to real-time conditions. Options A, B and D represent static or sequential routing methods.
What does the "Load Balancer Vocabulary" exercise cover?
Practice load balancer vocabulary: Layer 4 vs Layer 7, balancing algorithms, health checks, sticky sessions, and AWS ALB configuration.
Is this exercise free to use?
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How many questions are in "Load Balancer Vocabulary"?
This exercise has 10 questions. Each one gives instant feedback with an explanation, so you can see exactly why an answer is right or wrong.
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How is this exercise different from reading an article?
Articles explain vocabulary and concepts through prose, while exercises like this one are interactive drills -- multiple-choice questions -- that test and reinforce your recall of specific terms and phrasing.
Can I retry this exercise?
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Is this exercise suitable for beginners?
This exercise assumes basic familiarity with IT terminology. If a term feels unfamiliar, check the site Glossary for a plain-English definition before attempting the questions.
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