A method and apparatus for providing network based load balancing of medical image data among two or more image archive systems is disclosed. A network element is employed to interface to a network carrying medical image data that may include tasks to be performed on the data. A network service associated with the network element monitors the current load or the available capacity of each of the image archive systems. When a task is received the network service determines the level of complexity of the task and compares the level of complexity to the current load or available capacity of each of the image archive systems. The network service selects the one of the image archive systems to perform the task that has the lowest current load or highest available capacity relative to the level of complexity of the received task.