Adaptive endpoint-to-endpoint data path selection for data centers

A computer program product comprising one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• selecting, at a first network endpoint, using performance data of a plurality of paths, a first path in the plurality of paths, each of the plurality of paths comprising a data communication path from the first network endpoint through a subset of a plurality of network elements in a data communication network to a second network endpoint;
• adjusting, at the first network endpoint, a packet header of a data packet of a first data flow, the adjusting resulting in an adjusted data packet header of an adjusted data packet, wherein a parameter setting, that is an output of an Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) hash function identifying the first path, in the adjusted data packet header causes a first network element in the data communication network to forward the adjusted data packet to a next network element in the data communication network along the first path;
• sending, from the first network endpoint, the adjusted data packet of the first data flow, wherein the adjusted data packet causes a first subset of the plurality of network elements in the data communication network to forward the adjusted data packet to the second network endpoint along the first path;
• and
• determining a size comparison between a size of the first data flow with a size of a second data flow, adjusting a second data flow data packet header of a data packet of the second data flow, the adjusting resulting in an adjusted second data flow data packet header of an adjusted second data flow data packet causing the first network element in the data communication network to forward the adjusted second data flow data packet to the next network element in the data communication network along the first path as one taken by the first data flow based on the size comparison wherein an ECMP output adjusts a next network element in the adjusted second data flow data packet header, wherein the next network element is different from at least one network element used by a data flow data packet of a currently executing data flow.

A computer system comprising a processor and one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions executable by the processor to cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

• selecting, at a first network endpoint, using performance data of a plurality of paths, a first path in the plurality of paths, each of the plurality of paths comprising a data communication path from the first network endpoint through a subset of a plurality of network elements in a data communication network to a second network endpoint;
• adjusting, at the first network endpoint, a packet header of a data packet of a first data flow, the adjusting resulting in an adjusted data packet header of an adjusted data packet, wherein a parameter setting, that is an output of an Equal Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) hash function identifying the first path, in the adjusted data packet header causes a first network element in the data communication network to forward the adjusted data packet to a next network element in the data communication network along the first path;
• sending, from the first network endpoint, the adjusted data packet of the first data flow, wherein the adjusted data packet causes a first subset of the plurality of network elements in the data communication network to forward the adjusted data packet to the second network endpoint along the first path;
• and
• determining a size comparison between a size of the first data flow with a size of a second data flow, adjusting a second data flow data packet header of a data packet of the second data flow, the adjusting resulting in an adjusted second data flow data packet header of an adjusted second data flow data packet causing the first network element in the data communication network to forward the adjusted second data flow data packet to the next network element in the data communication network along the first path as one taken by the first data flow based on the size comparison wherein an ECMP output adjusts a next network element in the adjusted second data flow data packet header, wherein the next network element is different from at least one network element used by a data flow data packet of a currently executing data flow.