Patent ID: 7783784

Claim:
A method for configuring a link aggregation module, comprising: configuring the link aggregation module to use an initial network interface card (NIC) selection algorithm, wherein the link aggregation module is within a kernel executing on a computer; receiving, from the kernel, a first plurality of packets; servicing the first plurality of packets using a plurality of NICs in an aggregation group, wherein the aggregation group is operatively connected to the computer, wherein the initial NIC selection algorithm is used by the link aggregation module to select the one of the plurality of NICs to service at least one of the first plurality of packets, and wherein the at least one of the first plurality of packets is transmitted on a network after being serviced by the one of the plurality of NICs; collecting a plurality of first packet distribution statistics for the aggregation group corresponding to the servicing of the first plurality of packets; and selecting, by the link aggregation module, a first alternate NIC selection algorithm based on the plurality of first packet distribution statistics, wherein the plurality of first packet distribution statistics comprises at least one selected from a group consisting of a number of the first plurality of packets serviced by each of the plurality of NICs and overall rate of servicing the first plurality of packets.