Routing messages in a computer network using deterministic and probalistic source routes

A method, comprising:

• receiving a message in a computer network having a routing header configured to accommodate both a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route for encoding a nodal source route for the message;
• including an explicit identifier in the deterministic source route in the routing header every Nth nodal hop of the message along a signal nodal path where N is an integer;
• and
• in response to the message not having a deterministic source route, interpolating a probabilistic source route and forwarding the message based on the interpolation.

An apparatus, comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate with a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• provide a message within a computer network, the message having a routing header configured to accommodate a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route for encoding a nodal source route associated with;
• and
• selectively encode the nodal source route with the deterministic source route and the probabilistic source route based upon one or more predetermined criteria, wherein an explicit identifier of the deterministic source route is encoded every Nth hop along the nodal path where N is an integer.

An apparatus comprising:

• one or more network interfaces to communicate with a computer network;
• a processor coupled to the network interfaces and adapted to execute one or more processes;
• and
• a memory configured to store a process executable by the processor, the process when executed operable to:
• receive a message in a computer network having a routing header configured to accommodate both a deterministic source route and a probabilistic source route for encoding a nodal source route for the message;
• include an explicit identifier in the deterministic source route in the routing header every Nth nodal hop of the message along a signal nodal path where N is an integer;
• and
• in response to the message not having a deterministic source route, interpolate a probabilistic source route and forwarding the message based on the interpolation.