# US 11,444,875 B2 · Per-packet load-balancing over multiple network paths > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,875 B2 - Document ID: US11444875B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/032,874 - Filed: 2020-09-25 - Published: 2022-03-31 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-25 - Assignees: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Applicants: Cisco Technology, Inc. - Inventors: Luca Della Chiesa; Christian Schmutzer; Patrice Brissette - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444875B2 ## CPC - H04L 47/125: by balancing the load, e.g. traffic engineering - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 12/4641: {Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] (LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272)} - H04L 45/24: Multipath - H04L 47/41: by acting on aggregated flows or links - H04L 47/726: Reserving resources in multiple paths to be used simultaneously (by balancing the load H04L47/125) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract Techniques are presented herein for load-balancing a sequence of packets over multiple network paths on a per-packet basis. In one example, a first network node assigns sequence numbers to a sequence of packets and load-balances the sequence of packets on a per-packet basis over multiple network paths of a network to a second network node. The second network node buffers received packets that are received over the multiple network paths of the network from the first network node and re-orders the received packets according to sequence numbers of the received packets. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: at a first network node: assigning sequence numbers to a sequence of packets; and load-balancing the sequence of packets on a per-packet basis over multiple network paths of a network to a second network node, including transmitting the sequence of packets in a single pseudowire over the network from the first network node to the second network node; and at the second network node: buffering received packets that are received over the multiple network paths of the network from the first network node; and re-ordering the received packets according to sequence numbers of the received packets. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: at the first network node: obtaining a sequence of bits; and converting the sequence of bits to the sequence of packets. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: at the second network node: converting the received packets to the sequence of bits. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein load-balancing the sequence of packets includes: load-balancing the sequence of packets based on respective available bandwidths of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein load-balancing the sequence of packets includes: load-balancing the sequence of packets based on respective packet delays of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple network paths include respective parallel links. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple network paths include respective network nodes. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein load-balancing the sequence of packets includes: communicating with the second network node over the network using private line emulation techniques or Ethernet virtual private wire service techniques. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the sequence of packets includes a sequence of packets that each share common flow information. ### Claim 10 A system comprising: a first network node and a second network node; wherein the first network node is configured to: assign sequence numbers to a sequence of packets; and load-balance the sequence of packets on a per-packet basis over multiple network paths of a network to a second network node, including transmitting the sequence of packets in a single pseudowire over the network from the first network node to the second network node; and wherein the second network node is configured to: buffer received packets that are received over the multiple network paths of the network from the first network node; and re-order the received packets according to sequence numbers of the received packets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first network node is further configured to: obtain a sequence of bits; and convert the sequence of bits to the sequence of packets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the second network node is further configured to: convert the received packets to the sequence of bits. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first network node is further configured to: load-balance the sequence of packets based on respective available bandwidths of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the first network node is further configured to: load-balance the sequence of packets based on respective packet delays of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 15 One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: at a first network node: assign sequence numbers to a sequence of packets; and load-balance the sequence of packets on a per-packet basis over multiple network paths of a network to a second network node, including transmitting the sequence of packets in a single pseudowire over the network from the first network node to the second network node; and at the second network node: buffer received packets that are received over the multiple network paths of the network from the first network node; and re-order the received packets according to sequence numbers of the received packets. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: at the first network node: obtain a sequence of bits; and convert the sequence of bits to the sequence of packets. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: at the second network node: convert the received packets to the sequence of bits. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: load-balance the sequence of packets based on respective available bandwidths of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The one or more non-transitory computer readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to: load-balance the sequence of packets based on respective packet delays of the multiple network paths. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the single pseudowire is configured on the first network node and the second network node.