Patent ID: 7421506

Claim:
A method, comprising: receiving internet protocol messages addressed to a network element in a packet data enabled telecommunication network, the network element comprising multiple central processing units assigned to a common external internet protocol address; identifying received internet protocol messages comprising general packet radio service tunneling protocol messages; identifying a tunnel endpoint identifier-control value of the general packet radio service tunneling protocol message; depending on the identified tunnel endpoint identifier-control value of the general packet radio service tunneling protocol message either forwarding said general packet radio service tunneling protocol message to a central processing unit based on the identified tunnel endpoint identifier-control value of said general packet radio service tunneling protocol-control message or identifying a message type value of said general packet radio service tunneling protocol-control message; and forwarding a general packet radio service tunneling protocol-control message with an identified message type value equal to “Create PDP Context” to a central processing unit by using a predetermined load balancing procedure.