Latency-Based Routing
ELI5 — The Vibe Check
Latency-based routing sends users to whichever server responds fastest, not just the nearest. Sometimes the geographically closest server isn't the fastest due to network congestion. It's like choosing the grocery store checkout line — you pick the one moving fastest, not just the shortest. Smart routing for a laggy internet.
Real Talk
Latency-based routing is a DNS or load balancing strategy that directs traffic to the endpoint with the lowest measured latency for the requesting client. Cloud providers like AWS Route 53 continuously measure latency between regions and DNS resolvers to make routing decisions. It adapts to real network conditions rather than relying solely on geography.
When You'll Hear This
"Route 53 latency-based routing sends users to the fastest region." / "Latency routing sometimes picks a farther server because the closer one is congested."
Related Terms
DNS (Domain Name System)
DNS is the internet's phonebook. You type 'google.
GeoDNS
GeoDNS answers DNS queries differently based on where the user is. User in Europe? Here's the European server IP. User in Asia? Here's the Asian one.
Load Balancer
A load balancer is like a traffic cop for servers.
Route 53
Route 53 is Amazon's DNS service — it translates domain names like 'myapp.com' into IP addresses so browsers can find your server.