Flexible load balancing on multipath networks

A method for flexible load balancing on a multipath network, the method comprising:

• implementing a multipath transport protocol as a transport layer on top of a user datagram protocol layer of a network stack;
• distributing, by a load balancer including a scheduler, network traffic across a plurality of paths;
• determining, by a congestion controller in communication with the load balancer, parameters for a message to be sent based on information received from the scheduler;
• selecting, by the scheduler, a load balancing algorithm from a plurality of load balancing algorithms based on the parameters of the message received from the congestion controller;
• and
• determining, by the scheduler, a timing and a path of the plurality of paths for the message to be sent to the transport layer based on the selected load balancing algorithm, wherein
• communication between the load balancer and the congestion controller to determine the timing and the path for the message to be sent comprises a closed loop with positive feedback from the load balancer to the congestion controller.

A computing system for flexible load balancing on a multipath network, comprising:

• a processor that executes instructions using portions of associated memory to implement;
• a multipath transport protocol, the multipath transport protocol being implemented as a transport layer on top of a user datagram protocol layer of a network stack;
• a load balancer that distributes network traffic across a plurality of paths, the load balancer including a scheduler;
• a congestion controller in communication with the load balancer, the congestion controller being configured to determine parameters for a message to be sent based on information received from the scheduler;
• and
• a path monitor configured to receive path information, wherein
• the scheduler selects a load balancing algorithm from a plurality of load balancing algorithms based on the parameters of the message received from the congestion controller,
• the path monitor selects a congestion control algorithm for each path of the plurality of paths from a plurality of congestion control algorithms based on the path information,
• a timing and a path of the plurality of paths for the message to be sent to the transport layer is determined based on the selected load balancing algorithm and the selected congestion control algorithm, and
• communication between the load balancer and the congestion controller to determine the timing and the path for the message to be sent comprises a closed loop with positive feedback from the load balancer to the congestion controller.