Router device using flow duplication

A routing device for routing a plurality of packets across an IP network toward a destination, the plurality of packets being a part of a session, the routing device comprising:

• a packet modifier configured to modify the plurality of packets to include a sequence number that is different from the sequence number of other packets in the plurality of packets, the plurality of packets being transformed into a corresponding plurality of processed packets;
• memory storing the plurality of processed packets;
• a packet duplicator operatively coupled with the memory, the packet duplicator being configured to retrieve the plurality of processed packets from memory and duplicate the plurality of processed packets to produce a corresponding plurality of duplicated packets;
• and
• an output operatively coupled with the packet duplicator,
• the output being configured to forward a first lead packet of the plurality of processed packets toward the destination using a first stateful path through the network, the first lead packet establishing the first stateful path comprising one or more first waypoints traversed by the first lead packet;
• the output being configured to forward a second lead packet of the plurality of duplicated packets toward the destination using a second stateful path through the network, the second lead packet establishing the second stateful path comprising one or more second waypoints traversed by the second lead packet;
• the output being configured to forward the plurality of processed packets toward the destination using first stateful path through the network, the plurality of processed packets traversing the same one or more waypoints of the first stateful path as the lead packet and in a same order as the lead packet,
• the output being configured to forward the plurality of duplicated packets toward the destination using the second stateful path through the network, the plurality of duplicated packets traversing the same one or more second waypoints as the second lead packet and in a same order as the lead second packet,
• the first stateful path being different from the second stateful path such that an initial waypoint of the one or more first waypoints being different from an initial waypoint of the one or more second waypoints.

A computer program product for use on a computer system for routing a plurality of packets across a network toward a destination, the plurality of packets being a part of a session, the computer program product comprising a tangible, non-transient computer usable medium having computer readable program code thereon, the computer readable program code comprising:

• program code for modifying the plurality of packets to include a sequence number that is different from the sequence number of other packets in the plurality of packets, the plurality of packets being transformed into a corresponding plurality of processed packets;
• program code for duplicating the plurality of processed packets to produce a corresponding plurality of duplicated packets;
• program code for forwarding a first lead packet of the plurality of processed packets toward the destination using a first stateful path through the network, the first lead packet establishing the first stateful path comprising one or more first waypoints traversed by the lead packet;
• program code for forwarding a second lead packet of the plurality of duplicated packets toward the destination using a second stateful path through the network, the second lead packet establishing the second stateful path comprising one or more second waypoints traversed by the second lead packet;
• program code for forwarding the plurality of processed packets toward the destination using the first stateful path through the network, the plurality of processed packets traversing the same one or more first waypoints as the first lead packet and in a same order as the first lead packet;
• and
• program code for forwarding the plurality of duplicated packets toward the destination using the second stateful path through the network, the plurality of processed packets traversing the same one or more second waypoints as the second lead packet and in a same order as the second lead packet,
• the first stateful path being different from the second stateful path such that an initial waypoint of the one or more first waypoints being different from an initial waypoint of the one or more second waypoints.