Various implementations of the invention provide load balancing in a data storage system. A computing processor receives a request to create a new data storage container on a selected one of a plurality of data storage assets, where each of the plurality of data storage assets is configured to host a plurality of data storage containers. The computing processor determines which of the plurality of data storage assets is farthest away from an existing data storage container corresponding to the new data storage container and creates the new data storage container on the data storage asset that is farthest away from the existing data storage container.