Patent ID: 6967926

Claim:
A method for routing a plurality of packets between a first source of a plurality of sources and a first destination of a plurality of destinations in a packet switching system, the method comprising: each of the plurality of sources maintaining at least one source state indication; each of the plurality of destinations maintaining at least one destination state indication; the first source sending a first set of packets of the plurality of packets to the first destination, each packet of the first set of packets including a first state indication reflected in one of the at least one source state indications maintained in the first source; after sending the first set of packets, the first source sending a source barrier message over each of a plurality of paths leading to the first destination through the packet switching system; in response to receiving a destination barrier message generated in response to said sent plurality of source barrier messages, the first destination recognizing a barrier transition or a new barrier state and updating one of the at least one destination state indication; and the destination manipulating at least one packet of the first set of packets in response the barrier transition or the new barrier state.