Patent ID: 8116325

Claim:
An active node for use with packets of an active application sent from a source node to a destination node in a packet-switched network, each of the packets including multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) data representing at least one label switched path of the network, and at least one of active application code, references to active application code, and application data of the active application, the active node comprising: an active application processing component configured to execute the active application code contained in or referenced by at least one of the packets; and label switched routing component configured to receive and route the packets and in communication with the processing component; wherein: the routing component is configured to determine, for each of the packets, whether to forward such packet to the processing component or to bypass the processing component, based on the MPLS data of the packet; the active application processing component executing the active application determines one or more paths to one or more other such active application processing components for processing at least one of the packets, the one or more other such active application processing components being selected on the basis of one or more processing requirements of the active application and one or more corresponding processing capabilities of the other such active application processing components; and at least one of the routing component and the active application processing component is configured to modify at least one of an MPLS label table of the active node and the MPLS data of the at least one packet so that the at least one packets is forwarded to the selected one or more other such active application processing components for processing.