Patent ID: 7583679

Claim:
A data transfer network for data transfer and processing comprising: one or more transfer channels; and a plurality of data switches connected to each other by means of the transfer channels, wherein every data switch of the network functions as a server, a router, and/or a data switch for the data to be transferred in the network, and wherein each of the data switches comprises means for recognizing a type of data in a data packet to be transferred from one of the transfer channels connected to the data switch, means for selecting one or more of the transfer channels connected to the data switch to which the data packet will be transferred based on the type of the data recognized in the data packet, means for composing data for controlling operation of at least another data switch on the basis of data contained in a first data switch, data sent to the first data switch and data transmitted by the first data switch, and means for transmitting the composed data intended to be used for controlling the another data switch either as a separate control data or by combining the composed data to a data to be transmitted further; wherein at least one of the data switches is provided with means for detecting continuously state of input and/or output ports of the at least one of the data switches; and wherein at least one of the data switches is provided with means for continuously detecting state of the network on the basis of states of the data switches and states of input and/or output ports of the data switches.