What is 'load balancing' used for in networking?

Load balancing is used in networking to distribute user sessions evenly across servers. This process ensures that no single server becomes overwhelmed with too much traffic, which can lead to poor performance, downtime, or service interruptions. By effectively managing the distribution of incoming network traffic, load balancing enhances the efficiency and reliability of applications and services, allowing for better resource utilization and improved response times. Additionally, it helps to ensure high availability; if one server fails, the load balancer can redirect traffic to other servers that are operational, thus maintaining service continuity for users.

The correct choice highlights how load balancing plays a crucial role in optimizing server performance and maintaining user experience in any system reliant on multiple servers.