Internet protocol relay network for directly routing datagram from ingress router to egress router

A method for transmitting Internet Protocol (IP) packets across a relay network, said packets originating from a source and forwarded to a destination, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving said IP packet from said source;
• forwarding said IP packet from said source to an ingress router based on address information included in said IP packet;
• parsing out said IP packet at said ingress router in order to read the address of said destination;
• appending a unique label to said IP packet at said ingress router, said label including identification information related to the address of said destination;
• forwarding said IP packet from said ingress router to a switching network;
• and
• forwarding said IP packet from said switching network to an egress router such that said ingress router is one router hop away from said egress router.

An internetwork relay system for transmission of internet protocol traffic along a transmission path, said system including a source network and a destination network, said system comprising:

• an ingress router communicating with said source network and receiving an internet protocol packet from said source network;
• a label attached to said packet at said ingress router, said label including information corresponding to said destination network;
• a switch network communicating with said ingress router and receiving said packet therefrom, said switch network forwarding said packet based on destination information included in said label;
• an egress router receiving said packet from said switch network such that said egress router is one router hop away from said ingress router, said egress router forwarding said packet to said destination network.