Patent ID: 6243667
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for routing messages in a data network wherein a set of packets is isolated for specialized policy treatment by a plurality of routing devices in the data network, the method comprising the steps of:identifying a first one message of a first plurality of messages associated with an application layer, said first plurality of messages having at least one policy treatment in common, said first plurality of messages being identified in response to an address of a selected source device and an address of a selected destination device, wherein said policy treatment comprises at least one of the access control information, security information, queuing information, accounting information, traffic profiling information, and policy information;generating a unique hash key by each of the routing devices that receives the first plurality of messages, the unique hash key being based upon the address of the selected source device, the address of the selected destination device, a port number associated with the selected source device, a port number associated with the selected destination device, and a protocol type corresponding to the first plurality of messages;recording said first policy treatment by building a corresponding entry in a flow cache, wherein the first plurality of messages is identified by the unique hash key;recording information about said first plurality of messages;transmitting said information to at least one selected device on said network based upon a predetermined operating parameter;identifying a second one message of said first plurality of messages; androuting said second one message responsive to said first routing treatment.