PHP Code on Separate Server From Apache?

Question

This is something I've never seen done, and I'm not turning up in my research, but my boss is interested in the idea. We are looking at some load balancing options, and wonder if it is possible to have apache and php installed on multiple servers, managed by a load balancer, but have all the actual php code on one server, with the various apache servers pointing to the one central code base?

Answer 1

For instance NFS mounts are certainly possible, but I wouldn't recommend it. A lot of the advantage of loadbalancing is lost, and you're reintroducing a single point of failure. When syncing code, and rsync cronjob can handle itself very nicely, or a manual rsync on deployment can be done.

What is the reason you would want this central code base? I'm about 99% sure there is a better solution then a single server dishing out code.