Patent ID: 7808896

Claim:
A method comprising optimizing a data path and forwarding data from a start node to an end node over a hierarchical network, wherein the hierarchical network comprises first nodes, on a first layer of the hierarchical network, each first node for performing one or more first node functions, wherein one or more of said first node functions are to be applied on said data while forwarding said data through the hierarchical network, wherein a number of data path options through the first nodes are determined, for each data path option, the first nodes, having one or more assigned first node functions, wherein a first capacity value for each of said first nodes and for each of said first node functions and/or combinations of said first node functions are provided; and wherein the data is forwarded through the data path which is determined by the data path option having a minimum overall capacity regarding the first capacity values; characterized in that said one or more of said first nodes comprises a logical node comprising a hierarchical sub-network having one or more second physical nodes on lower layers of the hierarchical sub-network, the second physical nodes unknown to the start node, each of the second physical nodes assigned to one of the first logical nodes for performing one or more second node functions, wherein said first node functions of the first nodes are provided by said second node functions, wherein providing one of said first capacity values for one specific first node and for one specific first node function or one specific combination of said first node functions, including file following steps: determining a number of second data path options for the second physical nodes of the one specific first node to perform said one specific first node function, for each second data path option, the second physical nodes having one or more assigned second node functions, providing second capacity values for each of said second physical nodes and for each of said assigned second node functions; determining the overall capacity values of said second data path options with regard to the second capacity values; determining the minimum overall capacity value of any of said second data path options; and providing the minimum overall capacity value as the first capacity value.