Methods and systems for transmitting and receiving data packets through a bonded connection

A method of packet processing at a receiving network node through a plurality of connections, comprising:

• at least one network interface;
• at least one processing unit;
• and
• at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing program instructions executable by the at least one processing unit and configured to cause the at least one processing unit to perform:
• (a) determining a buffer period;
• (b) receiving a transmitted packet transmitted by a sending network node;
• (c) identifying a session and a session sequence number of the transmitted packet;
• (d) determining a queue according to the session for the transmitted packet to be stored:
• (i) when the queue is empty, determining an expiration time based on the buffer period;
• (ii) when the queue is not empty, determining the expiration time based on a difference of time value between a corresponding time value of one or more of currently-stored transmitted packets and a corresponding time value of the transmitted packet;
• (e) storing the transmitted packet in the queue according to the session sequence number;
• wherein:
• the plurality of connections are bonded together as a bonded connection;
• the transmitted packet is an encapsulated packet;
• the session sequence number is encapsulated in the transmitted packet;
• the session sequence number places the transmitted packet at a position in the queue;
• and
• when none of corresponding session sequence numbers of previously-arrived transmitted packets is one, no data packet is forwarded to a destination network node.