Patent attributes
In a network with at least a first device already configured to provide a network service to a network application, scaling service capacity includes: configuring one or more second devices to provide the network service to the network application. In embodiments where an upstream network device supports Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing, the upstream network device is configured, including storing a plurality of paths to reach an address associated with a network application, wherein the plurality of paths are equal in cost. In embodiments where the upstream network device does not support ECMP routing, the second device is configured not to respond to an Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) request associated with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the network application, and the first device is instructed to perform load balancing on network traffic destined for the network application among the first device and the one or more second devices.