Patent ID: 8165015
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: H04L,H04W,Y02D

Abstract:
1. A network operating method comprising: providing a first packet switch configured to send a plurality of packets from the first packet switch to a second packet switch; transmitting the plurality of packets from the first packet switch to the second packet switch via one of the plurality of packet tunnels traversing one or more intermediate packet switches, each of the one or more intermediate packet switches configured to retain packets instead of dropping; accessing or calculating data describing at least one performance characteristic of the plurality of packet tunnels at the first packet switch, wherein the at least one performance characteristic is determined based on any of the first packet switch, the second packet switch, the one or more intermediate packet switches, and a plurality of different physical links therebetween; and using the same control circuitry, based on data describing at least one performance characteristic of one of the plurality of packet tunnels, modifying a rate at which the first packet switch sends the plurality of packets to the second packet switch via one of the plurality of packet tunnels or, based on data describing at least one performance characteristic of all of the plurality of packet tunnels, modifying which packet tunnel of the plurality tunnels is used between the first packet switch and the second packet switch, wherein congestion control is provided based on either modifying at the first packet switch, the congestion control comprising dropping packets at the first packet switch instead of dropping packets at the one or more intermediate packet switches and based on physical and environmental conditions on the plurality of different physical links.