Patent ID: 9166927
Filing Date: 2015-10-20
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: at a first tier of switch elements, receiving a plurality of data packets from a source; routing the plurality of data packets to a second tier of switch elements in accordance with a dispersion function, the dispersion function being based on respective dispersion tags associated with each of the plurality of data packets and specifying a percent of data traffic to be routed on a given path; at the second tier of switch elements, receiving the plurality of data packets from the first tier of switch elements; routing the plurality of data packets, based on respective destination addresses of the plurality of data packets, back to the first tier of switch elements for transmission to respective destinations; at the first tier of switch elements, receiving the plurality of data packets from the second tier of switch elements; transmitting the data packet to the respective destinations; detecting data congestion for data traffic from one of the first or second tier of switch elements to the other of the first or second tier of switch elements; generating a notification message in response to detecting the data congestion, the notification message including a dispersion tag of a data flow associated with the congestion; and communicating the notification message to a source corresponding with the data flow, the notification message instructing the source corresponding with the data flow to modify the data traffic.