Dynamic packet traffic performance adjustment systems and methods

A method, comprising:

• operating a first packet connection having a first bandwidth profile and a second packet connection having a second bandwidth profile;
• bridging ingress traffic at a source network element onto one of the packet connections;
• selecting egress traffic at a sink network element from the set of packet connections;
• and
• responsive to a requirement for a bandwidth change in the first packet connection, modifying the bridge function accordingly at the first network element.

A network, comprising:

• a first packet network element;
• a second packet network element communicatively coupled to the first packet network element;
• a first packet connection between the first packet network element and the second packet network element having a first bandwidth profile being a first value;
• a second packet connection between the first packet network element and the second packet network element having a second bandwidth profile being set to zero;
• a bridge at the first packet network element configured to bridge ingress traffic onto both the first packet connection and the second packet connection;
• and
• a selector at the second packet network element configured to select traffic from one of the first packet connection and the second packet connection;
• wherein, responsive to a requirement to resize bandwidth of the first packet connection, the second bandwidth profile is set accordingly, the selector switches to the second packet connection, and the first bandwidth profile is set to zero.

A network, comprising:

• a first packet network element;
• a second packet network element communicatively coupled to the first packet network element;
• a first packet connection between the first packet network element and the second packet network element having a first bandwidth profile being a first value;
• a second packet connection between the first packet network element and the second packet network element having a second bandwidth profile being a second value;
• a bridge at the first packet network element configured to bridge ingress traffic onto the first packet connection;
• and
• a merge at the second packet network element configured to merge traffic from all of the packet connections;
• wherein, responsive to a requirement to resize bandwidth of the first packet connection, the bridge function at the first packet network element is set to the second packet connection.

A network element, comprising:

• at least one port;
• a packet switching fabric coupled to the at least one port;
• and
• a controller comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the controller, the at least one port, and the packet switching fabric to:
• operate a first packet connection having a first bandwidth profile and a second packet connection having a second bandwidth profile, wherein the second bandwidth profile is set to zero;
• bridge ingress traffic at the at least one port onto both the first packet connection and the second packet connection;
• responsive to a requirement for a bandwidth change in the first packet connection, modify the second bandwidth profile accordingly;
• and
• change the first bandwidth profile to zero subsequent to modifying the second bandwidth profile.