What traffic management tool helps distribute application requests across multiple resources in OCI?

The load balancer is an essential tool for traffic management in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) as it efficiently distributes application requests across multiple resources, such as virtual machines or instances. This distribution is crucial for ensuring that no single resource is overwhelmed by too much traffic, which can lead to performance degradation or downtime.

By utilizing a load balancer, organizations can achieve better resource utilization, minimize response time, and enhance the overall reliability of their applications. The load balancer can intelligently direct incoming requests based on various algorithms, like round-robin or least connections, ensuring that resources are used optimally and that users experience faster and more reliable access to applications.

In contrast, other options present different functionalities. For instance, a service gateway primarily facilitates access to services in a Virtual Cloud Network without exposing them to the internet. A traffic router and Route 53, while related to managing network traffic, are not specific OCI tools and serve different purposes in their respective environments. Therefore, the load balancer stands out as the correct choice for traffic management in OCI, as it directly addresses the need for distributing application requests across multiple resources.