Abstract: The present application relates to network configurations and specifically to scalable load balancing network configurations. One implementation includes an external client coupled to a scalable load balancing system. The scalable load balancing system includes a load balancing layer that is configured to encapsulate individual incoming packets of a packet flow from the external client. The load balancing layer is further configured to route the incoming packets to target devices on the system. The target devices can span multiple IP subnets. The incoming packets can pass through one or more load balancers of the load balancing layer before reaching individual target devices. Individual target devices can be configured to route at least some outgoing packets of the packet flow to the external client without passing through any of the one or more load balancers.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention is directed to reducing search-response latency. The closest intermediate server can be located between a client computing device and a search engine. A search query is sent to the intermediate server in a first packet of a transport protocol handshake. A plurality of packets are received from the intermediate server. The plurality of packets are used to open a window associated with a transport protocol. A response related to the search query is received by the client.