Dynamic tunnel probing in a communications network

A method allowing for optimization of communications paths associated with a computer network by dynamic detection of network devices located along a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, at least one of the network devices operative to recognize probe requests and transmit a probe response including transformation tunnel capabilities in response to the probe request, the method comprising the steps of:

• detecting a data flow to a destination host;
• if the path to the destination host has not been probed, then:
• probing the path to the destination host to discover the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities;
• and,
• associating a network device discovered in the probing step with the destination host;
• and,
• if a network device is associated with a destination host, transforming data flows to the destination host from a first state to a second state and tunneling the data flows to the associated network device.

An apparatus allowing for automatic detection of network devices located in a communications path that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, comprising:

• a packet processor operably connected to a computer network to monitor data flows traversing communication paths associated with the computer network to respective destination hoses;
• a transformation tunnel mechanism including transformation tunnel capabilities operative to transform data flows from a first state to a second state;
• wherein the transformation tunnel mechanism is further operative to establish a tunnel with a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities located in a communications path associated with the computer network;
• a probe module operative to probe for network devices along communications paths to destination hosts that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities in response to data flows detected by the packet processor, wherein the probe module is further operative to obtain the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities;
• wherein the probe module is operative to associate destination hosts with respective network devices along communication paths thereto having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities;
• wherein the packer processor is further operative to channel data flows to the transformation tunnel mechanism, wherein the channeled data flows are bound for destination hosts associated with network devices identified by the probe module.

A system allowing for dynamic detection of network devices that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities, the network devices located along a communications path between a first host node and a second host node, comprising

• a tunnel probing device operably connected to a computer network;
• wherein the tunnel probing device comprises:
• a packet processor operative to monitor data flows traversing communication paths associated with the computer network to respective destination hosts;
• a transformation tunnel mechanism including transformation tunnel capabilities operative to transform data flows from a first state to a second state;
• wherein the transformation tunnel mechanism is further operative to establish a tunnel with a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities located in a communications path associated with the computer network;
• a probe module operative to probe for network devices along communications paths to destination hosts that include compatible transformation tunnel capabilities in response to data flows detected by the packet processor, wherein the probe module is further operative to obtain the network address of a network device having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities;
• wherein the probe module is operative to associate destination hosts with respective network devices along communication paths thereto having compatible transformation tunnel capabilities;
• wherein the packet processor is further operative to channel data flows to the transformation tunnel mechanism, wherein the channeled data flows are bound for destination hosts associated with network devices identified by the probe module;
• and,
• at least one network device operably connected to the computer network, wherein the network device comprises a transformation tunnel mechanism including at least one transformation tunnel capability;
• wherein the network device is operative to communicate transformation tunnel capabilities to the tunnel probing device in response to probe requests.