Patent ID: 8279866

Claim:
A method for switching packets in a communication network, comprising: dividing a data stream into at least two sub-streams in a first application card received in a first application card slot of a packet switch using a packet manipulator configured to split the data stream into the at least two sub-streams, wherein the data stream is comprised of a plurality of cells that are placed into a plurality of packets by the packet manipulator; balancing a load created by the data stream between the at least two sub-streams; sending a first sub-stream through a first application port associated with the first application card slot to a first switch port associated with a primary switch card slot of the packet switch, the primary switch card slot configured to receive a primary switch card for the packet switch; sending a second sub-stream through a second application port associated with the first application card slot to a second switch port associated with the primary switch card slot; replicating the first sub-stream at the first switch port and sending the replicated first sub-stream to a first replicated switch port associated with a backup switch card slot through a first connection replicator coupled to the first switch port and the first replicated switch port, the backup switch card slot configured to receive a backup switch card for the packet switch, wherein the first connection replicator is configured to ensure that data on the first switch port and the first replicated switch port are the same in both directions; and replicating the second sub-stream at the second switch port and sending the replicated second sub-stream to a second replicated switch port associated with the backup switch card slot through a second connection replicator coupled to the second switch port and the second replicated switch port, wherein the second connection replicator is configured to ensure that data on the second switch port and the second replicated switch port are the same in both directions.