A management server and method for load balancing a cluster of host computers analyzes load metrics of clients naming on the host computers in the cluster to select a first client that can be migrated from a first host computer in the cluster to a second host computer in the cluster to improve load balance for the cluster and a second client running on the second host computer that can be swapped with the first client running on the first host computer for a client swapping operation. The client swapping operation involves simultaneously migrating the first client from the first host computer to the second host computer and migrating the second client from the second host computer to the first host computer.