Patent ID: 9294302
Filing Date: 2016-03-22
CPC Classification: H04L

Claim Text:
1. A method for transferring IP packets in a distributed network environment having at least a first network device and a second network device, the method comprising: in response to receiving an initial IP packet of an IP connection at the first network device, encapsulating the initial IP packet of the IP connection as a setup IP packet, the setup packet comprising a GRE packet that includes a new IP header, a GRE IP header after the new IP header that stores control information to enable network devices to establish a connection for the IP connection, and a session ID identifying the IP connection stored after the GRE IP header and before the initial IP packet stored in a payload of the GRE packet; forwarding, by the first network device, the setup IP packet to the second network device to enable the second network device to create a session table entry based on the control information within the GRE IP header in response thereto, wherein the session table entry includes the session ID and IP address information for the IP connection; receiving, at the first network device, a first IP packet of the IP connection; modifying the first IP packet to create a second IP packet by adding the session ID and the control information in at least one field in the first IP packet; and forwarding, by the first network device, the second IP packet to the second network device in the distributed network environment, the second IP packet being a forwarding IP packet, wherein the forwarding IP packet and the setup IP packet being different types of IP packets used within an IP session identified by the session ID.