Patent ID: 8565239

Claim:
A method for processing packet data in a network device, the method comprising: randomly selecting, by the network device one or more path-selection randomization options to be applied to data packets processed in the network device; receiving, at the network device a data packet: applying, by the network device, the one or more path-selection randomization operations to the data packet; determining a next-hop path for the data packet based on the one or more path-selection randomization operations; and transmitting, from the network device, the data packet to a next-hop network device using the determined next-hop path, wherein the path-selection randomization options comprise operations for modifying a hash key, the operations for modifying a hash key including 1) operations for prepending a first hash key seed to respective hash keys of received data packets; 2) operations for appending a second hash key seed to the respective hash keys of the received data packets; and 3) operations for masking randomly selected bits of the respective hash keys of the received data packets.