Patent ID: 8149842

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: a plurality of interfaces for sending and receiving packets; and one or more control processors and memory; wherein the apparatus is configured for performing operations including: receiving a packet being sent from a first host to a second host in a network, said packet corresponding to a request that a session be established using a first transport layer protocol or belonging to an already established session using the first transport layer protocol; in response to said received packet: (a) determining that a second networked device that supports transportation of packets using a second transport layer protocol is on a path through the network from the apparatus towards the second host; and (b) establishing a second layer transport session using the second transport protocol between the apparatus and the second networked device; and communicating a plurality of packets between the apparatus and the second networked device using said established second layer transport session; wherein said determining that the second networked device supports transportation of packets using the second transport layer protocol is on a path through the network from the apparatus towards the second host includes: (a) sending a probe packet from the apparatus towards the second host attempting to identify a networked device along the path supporting the second layer transport protocol; and (b) receiving a response from the second networked device representing its support of the second layer transport protocol.