Patent ID: 7830786
Filing Date: 2010-11-09
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A method of forwarding a data packet comprising, at a network node: storing links, at the network node, to primary neighbor nodes to which the data packet is primarily forwarded; storing links, at the network node, to alternate neighbor nodes; upon receiving the data packet at the network node via an interface connected to a primary neighbor node, determining for a destination address, based on the interface via which the data packet is received, without querying other nodes, that an alternate neighbor node is to be selected, the alternate neighbor node being (i) loop-free for the data packet with respect to the primary neighbor node from which the data packet arrived, and (ii) loop-free for the data packet with respect to a primary remote node, the primary remote node being a node in a sequence of nodes starting at the network node, each node in the sequence being a primary neighbor of the prior node in the sequence with respect to the data packet and each node in the sequence being an alternate neighbor node of the next node in the sequence; where it is determined that an alternate neighbor node is to be selected, selecting the alternate neighbor node; and forwarding the data packet to the alternate neighbor node.