Patent ID: 7500012

Claim:
A method for controlling flow of data packets in a computer system, the method comprising: receiving data packets at a central system from one of a plurality of pipes in the computer system for processing, each of the plurality of pipes connecting a different client system to the central system, the data packets being received during a time interval specific to the one pipe, each of the plurality of pipes in the computer system having a different time interval during which associated data packets are received; examining the data packets to determine whether to transmit the data packets on only one of a first path and a second path in the computer system such that none of the data packets are dropped before being outputted, the first path having a first storage that is a first type of storage, and the second path having a second storage that is a second type of storage, the first type of storage being smaller in size and faster in speed than the second type of storage, wherein only the first type of storage is used to store the data packets on the first path and only the second type of storage is used to store the data packets on the second path; and forwarding the data packets to only one of the first storage and the second storage based on examination of the data packets, the first storage being for transmission on the first path and not the second path, and the second storage being for transmission on the second path and not the first path, all of the data packets received during the time interval being transmitted on a same path.