System and methods for forwarding packets through a network
US8787388B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 29, 2011 |
| Grant date | Jul 22, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L65/00
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Network packets may be transmitted from packet sources to packet destinations through a network of switches. The switches may have corresponding flow tables that control how the packets are forwarded through the switches. A controller server may generate network switch forwarding paths for the network packets by modifying the flow tables with entries based on attributes of the network packets and network topology information. The controller server may forward selected packets directly to packet destinations instead of generating the network switch forwarding paths. To determine which packets to directly forward, the controller server may calculate cost metrics associated with the network switch forwarding paths and associated with forwarding network packets directly to packet destinations. The cost metrics may be calculated based on network topology information, network traffic conditions, controller server processing load, packet forwarding delays, an expected number of future network packets, or attributes of the network packets.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.