Patent ID: 7013333

Claim:
A method of transparently re-routing data elements transmitted during a network connection along a transmission path between an original source address and an original destination address, said data elements comprising an indication of source address and an indication of destination address, said network connection having protocols above the transport layer protocol capable of maintaining data transmission during disconnection and reconnection when said data elements are re-routed, said method comprising: a) at a first point in the transmission path differing from said original destination address: i) receiving a first intercepted data element; ii) modifying the original source address to an alternative source address; iii) modifying the original destination address to an alternative destination address; and iv) re-transmitting the first data element on the transmission path; and b) at a second point in the transmission path corresponding to the alternative source address: i) receiving a second data element having the alternative source address as its destination address; ii) modifying the destination address to the original source address and modifying the source address to the original destination address; and iii) re-transmitting the second data element along the transmission path.