Patent ID: 8457041

Claim:
A method for use in a communications system including an access node, a first node, a second node, a fourth node, and another node, the method comprising operating said access node to perform the steps of: storing information indicating a mapping between a mobile node address and identifiers of the second and fourth nodes; receiving a binding update message including the mobile node address and a forwarding address, said forwarding address being used by said first node to forward packets including said mobile node address; storing at least one of: i) message portion processing performance information or ii) message portion forwarding performance information regarding at least one previous message portion forwarded by said access node to one of said second and fourth nodes; selecting between said second and fourth nodes as a destination of a portion of said binding update message; forwarding said portion of said binding update message to a selected node; transmitting a message to one of the second node, the fourth node or another node, said transmitted message including performance information corresponding to the stored performance information; and receiving a message including updated mapping information, said updated mapping information including at least one of a second node identifier or a standby node identifier, said standby node identifier corresponding to a standby node to be used in place of said fourth node with respect to processing of binding update messages including said mobile node address.