# US 2014/0192645 A1 · Method for Internet Traffic Management Using a Central Traffic Controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0192645 A1 - Document ID: US20140192645A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/802,375 - Filed: 2013-03-13 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-04 - Assignees: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Futurewei Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Shujin Zhang; Renwei Li - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140192645A1 ## CPC - H04L 47/12: Avoiding congestion; Recovering from congestion - H04L 45/302: Route determination based on requested QoS - H04L 47/724: at intermediate nodes, e.g. resource reservation protocol [RSVP] - H04L 47/726: Reserving resources in multiple paths to be used simultaneously (by balancing the load H04L47/125) - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A method for internet traffic management, comprising receiving a request for a path set from an application at a network traffic controller, wherein the request contains an intended traffic destination endpoint, evaluating a plurality of network devices in a network, identifying a plurality of paths usable by the application to transmit traffic from the application to the intended traffic destination endpoint, including the plurality of paths in the path set, and sharing the path set with the application. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for internet traffic management, comprising: receiving a request for a path set from an application at a network traffic controller, wherein the request contains an intended traffic destination endpoint; evaluating a plurality of network devices in a network for a plurality of paths; identifying the plurality of paths usable by the application to transmit traffic from the application to the intended traffic destination endpoint; including the plurality of paths in the path set; and sharing the path set with the application. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the path set based on one or more network device capabilities selected from a group consisting of: bandwidth, latency, port capability, jitter, Wide Access Network (WAN) Application Acceleration Service (WaaS), and caching service. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the request originates from the application, and wherein the request comprises at least one minimum performance requirement which must be satisfied by each path in the path set. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein identifying the plurality of paths does not include selection based on the fewest number of next-hop addresses between the application and the intended traffic destination endpoint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: monitoring the network devices; and dynamically updating the path set based on changes in the network devices. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving a notification that the path set is no longer needed by the application; returning the path set network device resources to the plurality of network devices; and reevaluating the plurality of network devices based on the network device resources returned. ### Claim 7 An apparatus comprising: a processor configured to: request a path set from a network traffic controller, wherein the path set comprises a plurality of paths across a network from a source to a predefined destination; receive the path set from the network traffic controller; select a path from the path set based on at least one performance requirement; and send traffic from the source to the predefined destination using the selected path. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the request comprises at least one minimum performance requirement which must be satisfied by each path contained in the path set. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the request comprises the predefined destination, and wherein the selected path is selected based on one or more criteria selected from a group consisting of: bandwidth, latency, port capability, jitter, Wide Access Network (WAN) Application Acceleration Service (WaaS), and caching service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the selected path is not selected based on the fewest number of next-hop addresses between the apparatus and the predefined destination. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an updated path set from the network traffic controller; and select a new path from the updated path set, wherein the new path replaces the selected path as the path over which traffic is sent to the predefined destination. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to send the network traffic controller a notification that the path set is no longer needed. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the network is a Software Defined Network (SDN)-based multiple layer network, and wherein the network traffic controller is a central traffic controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to: select a plurality of paths from the path set; and send traffic to the destination using each path in the plurality of paths. ### Claim 15 A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions stored on a non-transitory medium that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the following: assess the capabilities of a network; select a plurality of network devices from the network map for inclusion in a path; select a plurality of paths for inclusion in a network view; create a network view; and share the network view with at least one application. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: monitor the network; and update the network view based on changes to the network. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to: receive a request for the network view from the at least one application, wherein the request comprises at least one minimum performance requirement which must be satisfied by the paths contained in the network view; and create the network view such that the network view conforms to the at least one minimum performance requirement. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the network devices are not selected for inclusion in the network view based on the fewest number of next-hop addresses between the at least one application and an intended destination. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the network devices are selected for inclusion in the network view based on one or more capabilities selected from a group consisting of: bandwidth, latency, port capability, jitter, Wide Access Network (WAN) Application Acceleration Service (WaaS), and caching service. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer program of claim 16, wherein the network is a Software Defined Network (SDN)-based multiple layer network, wherein the network traffic controller is a central traffic controller, and wherein instructions further cause the processor to: receive a notification that the network view is no longer required; and reevaluate a second network view based on the resources returned to the network by the network view.