Patent ID: 8134916
Filing Date: 2012-03-13
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method of load balancing among a plurality of hosts, the method comprising: receiving a stream of packets that form at least one packet session; interrogating a packet of the stream of packets for a session ID associated with a packet session and for a tag indicating that the packet is a first packet of a new packet session; at least partly responsive to the interrogating: responsive to a change in availability of one or more of the plurality of hosts, generating a new routing function to provide a balanced distribution of sessions among the plurality of hosts including for the packet session when the packet does not include the tag; and processing the packet, including when the packet does not include the tag, in parallel based at least on both the new routing function and the existing routing function by applying a corresponding session ID to the new routing function and the existing routing function, such that the packet being processed is duplicated and sent to the hosts corresponding to the new routing function and the existing routing function.