Patent ID: 8121117

Claim:
A network traffic prioritization method comprising: classifying application layer messages obtained by a traffic management device via an incoming TCP/IP connection, the application layer messages being classified to have an assigned priority of transmission to a receiver network device based on one or more criteria independent of any packet-level information in the application layer messages; assigning one or more application layer messages classified as having a first priority to a first priority socket handler for transmission over a network via a first TCP/IP connection; assigning one or more application layer messages classified as having a second priority to a second priority socket handler for transmission over the network via a second TCP/IP connection, wherein the second priority application layer messages have a lower transmission priority than the first priority application layer messages; and transmitting at least a portion of the selected one or more classified first priority application layer messages by the first priority socket handler via the first TCP/IP connection before transmitting at least a portion of the one or more classified second priority application messages by the second priority socket handler via a second TCP/IP connection.