Patent ID: 8279753

Claim:
A method of determining a first route between a source node and a first destination node, said source node and said first destination node being connected by a network, said network containing a plurality of paths and a plurality of network nodes, with each path being provided between a pair of network nodes, said method comprising: receiving identities of said source node and said first destination node, as well as bandwidths of each of said plurality of paths; forming a first network topology containing only those of said plurality of paths with said bandwidths in a first value range; forming a second network topology containing those of said plurality of paths with said bandwidths in a second value range; selecting a first set of paths in said first network topology and a second set of paths in said second network topology, said first set of paths and said second set of paths being contained in said plurality of paths; estimating a first total time to transfer an amount of data based on said first set of paths and a second total time to transfer said amount of data based on said second set of paths; determining said first route as being formed by said first set of paths only if said first total time is less than said second total time and as being formed by said second set of paths otherwise.