Patent ID: 8718060
Filing Date: 2014-05-06
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for forwarding data packets in a communication network, the method comprising: receiving, at a node in the communication network, a data packet containing a label stack having one or more labels for switching the data packet on a path in the communication network, wherein the node includes a plurality of outgoing network interfaces for use in forwarding the data packet to one of a plurality of destination nodes; selecting, based on a forwarding equivalence class (FEC) associated with one or more of the labels contained in the label stack, an Equal Cost Multiple Path (ECMP) technique from among a plurality of ECMP techniques for use in identifying a selected outgoing network interface on the node for use in forwarding the data packet to a selected destination node; using the selected ECMP technique to identify the selected outgoing network interface for use in forwarding the data packet to a selected destination node based on information contained in a portion of the data packet other than a payload portion, wherein using further comprises: forwarding the data packet to the selected destination node using the selected outgoing network interface.