Computer Program and Method for Data Communication

A method for data communication in a network having a plurality of network nodes which are arranged between the communication partners, data packets being transferred cyclically with sending frequencies between the communication partners over protected connections, the data packets originating from at least two different sending communication partners, and the sending frequencies of the at least two communication partners, with which the at least two communication partners send data packets, differing from one another, the method comprising:

• taking into account the sending frequencies when finding a path for transfer of the data packets of at least one protected connection;
• specifying the sending frequencies as reduction ratios which are taken into account when finding the path, the reduction ratio specifying how often the data packets are sent cyclically;
• breaking down a time for data communications into consecutive send clocks and take into account those send clocks, in which the data packets are cyclically sent, when finding the path;
• taking into account a load on ports of at least those network nodes participating in protected connections, in the different send clocks, when finding the path;
• maintaining a database in which information is and/or will be stored about the load on the ports in a sending direction of at least those network nodes participating in the protected connections, in the different send clocks;
• and
• calcuting a tree for each different send clock;
• wherein the trees do not contain any paths for which at least one port of at least one participating network node in a sending direction is loaded to a predetermined degree or completely in the send clocks belonging to the tree.