Microsoft Azure Architect Technologies (AZ-300) Practice Exam

When scaling out, what function does a load balancer serve?

1. To increase CPU cores in a single instance

2. To manage disk space across instances

3. To distribute requests across multiple servers

4. To monitor application performance

The correct answer is: To distribute requests across multiple servers

A load balancer serves the critical function of distributing requests across multiple servers, making it the correct choice in the context of scaling out. When an application experiences increased traffic or workload demand, scaling out involves adding more instances of a service or application to handle the additional load. The load balancer ensures that incoming requests are intelligently routed to each available instance, optimizing resource utilization and preventing any single server from becoming a bottleneck. This distribution of workload enhances the application's reliability, as it can continue operating smoothly even if one instance fails. By balancing the traffic efficiently, the load balancer improves the overall performance of the application and provides users with a consistent experience. The other options do not accurately represent the function of a load balancer in this context. For instance, increasing CPU cores pertains to vertical scaling, while managing disk space relates to storage solutions, and monitoring application performance typically involves separate monitoring tools rather than the load balancing itself.