Load balancing for a web site

[czamora]

Hi,
I have a growing website that needs to move from its current single-server setup to using a cluster of servers to deliver its dynamic pages.
My current host does not support load balancing among its servers, so I'm left to configure that on my own. Round-rovin DNS doesn't work for me as I'll need certain http requests to always go to the central server (the one with the master database).
My distro is Redhat 9, and I only access the server remotely through SSH. I'm using Apache 2 (and PHP and Mysql).
Any ideas on the simplest way to do this?
I've read a bit about LVS (http://www.linuxvirtualserver.org/) but it seems to require a kernel recompile, which is way beyond the things I would dare to try...
Thanks a lot.

[Xnuiem]

VPS (Virtual Private Server) will do nothing for you, it doesnt help on resources, it just splits the server you have up and actually will make it run slower overall since you now have extra overhead.

Getting rid of Apache2 would help, it is still very slow compared to Apache 1 when running PHP.

If your site truly needs multiple servers, then you need to find a different host. It is best to load balance at the switch, and move the database to its own powerhouse.

If you don't want that, there is LTSP, but if you cant recompile, that isnt going to do you any good.

The bottom line is either upgrade your hardware on your one server, or change hosts to a hosting company that can do multiple. Rackspace is probably the best of all managed hosting companies. We have our webapplication running 3 apache servers in front of a huge oracle database server. Just as a warning, RS, is quite expensive, so make very sure you need multiple servers.

As a note, if we are not talking hundreds (or more) cocurrent users, you do not need multiple servers, just get a dual dual-core processor box with like 8GB of RAM and high speed SCSI drives and save your self the headache.

Also, moving your database off to another server that is bigger and more customized to run MySQL will dramatically increase performance, but it is best to have at least 100mpbs, perferbably 1000mpbs between them. This is a concert, since a lot of hosting companies, espeically unmanaged, only give 10mpbs without upgrading.