Patent ID: 9461923
Filing Date: 2016-10-04
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A computer implemented method of routing data in a software-defined network (SDN) through a virtual network element, said computer implemented method comprising: identifying a source node and a destination node in said SDN for transmitting packet data; identifying evaluation criteria; attaining performance data indicative of link performance between said source node and said destination node, wherein said attaining performance data comprises sending test packets over a plurality of transmission paths between said source and said destination node, wherein said test packets have varying lengths depending on bandwidths of said plurality of transmission paths, wherein sending the test packets comprises: sending a set of test packets with different lengths to a respective transmission path of said plurality of paths; obtaining respective latency times of said respective transmission path in response to said set of test packets; and deriving bandwidth usage of said respective transmission path based on said respective latency times; evaluating said performance data with reference to said evaluation criteria; sending an evaluation result to an SDN controller of said SDN; and receiving a flow table that is configured by said SDN controller based on said evaluation result.