Patent ID: 8310924

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing Quality of Service (QoS) for a Multilink Protocol subscriber, wherein the Multilink Protocol subscriber is coupled with a network element with an aggregate link which includes a plurality of member links, comprising: receiving a first packet destined for the subscriber; determining whether to fragment the first packet into a plurality of fragments; fragmenting the first packet into the plurality of fragments, wherein each fragment is encapsulated with a Multilink Protocol encapsulation; linking each of the fragments to form a single first batch Multilink Protocol packet; after linking each of the fragments to form the single first batch Multilink Protocol packet, determining whether a single, same, egress queue for the subscriber supports each fragment in the single first batch Multilink Protocol packet; and responsive to determining that each fragment can be supported in the single, same, egress queue, applying a Multilink Protocol sequence number to each fragment in the single first batch Multilink Protocol packet; placing each fragment in the single first batch Multilink Protocol packet in the same, single, egress queue for the subscriber associated with the aggregate link; and distributively transmitting the fragments over the member links.