Granted Patent B2

US 7,092,359 · App. 09/800,420 · Granted Aug 15, 2006

Abstract

Claims (37)

1. A method for distributing data traffic on a communication network comprised of network nodes connected via at least one link line, the method comprising:

sending, to a data traffic monitoring system, loading information that is link-line-specific or route-specific;

ascertaining, in the data traffic monitoring system, a current data transfer loading value for a link line or for a network node using the loading information;

determining, in the data traffic monitoring system, distribution information for the network node based on the current data transfer loading value;

sending the distribution information to the network node;

generating, in the network node, an allocation model used to divide address information of data packets into separate address classes that correspond to a plurality of alternative routes leading to a destination network node, the allocation model being generated based on the distribution information;

ascertaining, in the network node, an address class from address information for a data packet addressed to the destination network node; and

sending the data packet, from the network node, via one of the alternative routes that corresponds to the address class for the data packet addressed to the destination network node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the current data transfer loading value is ascertained based on a routing protocol in the communication network.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

transferring data packets having different transfer priorities over the communication network; and

sending, to the data traffic monitoring system, loading information that is transfer-priority-specific;

wherein the current data transfer loading value is ascertained based on the loading information that is transfer-priority-specific.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution information is transfer-priority-specific; and

wherein the network node sends data packets in accordance with a transfer priority of the distribution information.

5. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining, in the data traffic monitoring system, destination network node distribution information for the network node; and

sending the destination network node distribution information to the network node.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining distribution information over time by extrapolating at least one previously ascertained data transfer loading value or previously ascertained distribution information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the distribution information for the network node comprises quota details that specify, for each route in a group of alternative routes leading from the network node to the destination network node, a proportion of data packets addressed to the destination network node that is transferred over one of the alternative routes.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

using a random number generator weighted in accordance with quota details to assign data packet addressed to the destination network node to one of the alternative routes.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the address information comprises source address information that identifies a sender of the data packet.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in the network node, allocating address classes based on stored address information from data packets that were transmitted previously.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining, in the data traffic monitoring system, one of the alternative routes for the network node based on the data transfer loading value; and

sending route information describing the one of the alternative routes to the network node.

12. A communication network comprising:

a plurality of network nodes connected via link lines, comprising:

an allocation facility for creating an allocation model based on distribution information, and for dividing address information of data packets into separate address classes, each address class being assigned to one of a number of alternative routes leading to a destination network node; and

a data packet distribution facility for ascertaining an address class for address information of a data packet to be transferred, and for transferring the data packet via a route assigned to the address class; and

a data-traffic-monitoring system comprising:

an information-capture facility for ascertaining a current data transfer loading value for link lines or a network node;

an analysis facility for determining distribution information for the network node based on the data transfer loading value; and

a transmission facility to send the distribution information to the network node.

Assignments (9)