Patent ID: 7580417
Filing Date: 2009-08-25
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method for load balancing network traffic over virtual point-to-point data links, comprising the steps of: determining a particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links at a data-link layer, wherein the particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links traverses a single virtual private network and reaches a particular local area network of one or more network nodes; associating a particular data-link address for a particular node of the particular local area network with each virtual point-to-point data link of the particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links; receiving a plurality of data packets that each includes data that indicates the particular data-link address as a destination; determining a first virtual point-to-point data link of the particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links for a first data packet of the plurality of data packets, and a different second virtual point-to-point data link of the particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links for a different second data packet of the plurality of data packets to balance traffic among the particular plurality of virtual point-to-point data links; and sending the first data packet only over the first virtual point-to-point data link and the second data packet only over the second virtual point-to-point link.