Patent ID: 8819280

Claim:
A machine-implemented method for enabling communication between nodes of a network, the method comprising: receiving, at a server node, a first data packet that originated from a client node and that a load-balancing node forwarded to the server node after selecting the server node from among a plurality of server nodes; in response to receiving the first data packet, the server node creating a second data packet and sending the second data packet to the client node; wherein the second data packet contains information that will cause the client node to address to the server node a third data packet that the client node would have addressed to the load-balancing node if not for the information, the information in the second data packet instructing the client node to continue to address data packets to the server node instead of the load-balancing node for a period of time that is specified by the information; wherein the information contained in the second data packet comprises an IPv6 Mobility Header that will cause the client node to replace an original source address of the second data packet with an address that is specified in a Home Address option of a Binding Update option contained within the IPv6 Mobility Header; and, wherein the method is performed at least in part by one or more processors formed by circuitry within the server node.