CONNECTION BALANCING USING ATTEMPT COUNTS AT DISTRIBUTED STORAGE SYSTEMS

A connection request from a client is received at an access subsystem node of a distributed storage service. The connection request includes an attempt count parameter indicative of a number of times an establishment of a connection on behalf of the client has been attempted. A workload threshold level based on the attempt count parameter is identified for use in an acceptance decision for the connection request. In response to a determination that a local workload metric of the access subsystem node is below the workload threshold level, the connection is accepted.