Data packet fragmentation for replicated packet traffic through a software-defined wide area network

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing program instructions, wherein execution of the program instructions by the computer causes the computer to perform operations comprising:

• receiving a first packet at a first node, the first packet having a source address, a destination address, and an internet protocol identification (IP-ID);
• replicating the first packet to create a second packet;
• fragmenting the first packet and the second packet into fragments for transmission through a tunnel in one or more paths between the source address and the destination address;
• modifying the IP-ID of the second packet;
• encapsulating the fragments of the first packet and separately encapsulating the fragments of the second packet for transmission through the tunnel;
• transmitting the encapsulated first packet fragments and the encapsulated second packet fragments through the tunnel;
• receiving the encapsulated first packet fragments through the tunnel at a second node;
• reassembling the first packet at the second node using the first packet fragments;
• receiving encapsulated second packet fragments through the tunnel at the second node;
• reassembling the second packet at the second node using the second packet fragments;
• and
• restoring the IP-ID of the reassembled second packet to be the IP-ID of the first packet.

An apparatus comprising:

• a first node of a wide area network having:
• a replication module of the first node to receive a first packet at the first node, the first packet having a source address, a destination address, and an internet protocol identification (IP-ID) and to replicate the first packet to create a second packet;
• a fragmentation module of the first node to fragment the first packet and the second packet into fragments for transmission through a tunnel in one or more paths between the source address and the destination address, and to modify the IP-ID of the of the second packet;
• and
• an egress module of the first node to encapsulate the fragments of the first packet and separately encapsulate the fragments of the second packet for transmission through the tunnel;
• and
• a second node of the wide area network having:
• an ingress module of the second node to receive the encapsulated first packet fragments through the tunnel at the second node, and to receive the encapsulated second packet fragments through the tunnel at the second node;
• and
• a reassembly module to reassemble the first packet at the second node using the first packet fragments and to reassemble the second packet at the second node using the second packet fragments, wherein the second packet is a replication of the first packet,
• wherein the reassembly module is further to restore the IP-ID of the reassembled second packet to be the IP-ID of the first packet.