Ordered application message delivery using multiple processors in a network element

A data processing apparatus, comprising:

• a plurality of processors;
• means for establishing one of the processors as a master processor and all other processors as slave processors, wherein the means for establishing one of the processors as a master processor and all other processors as slave processors comprises Web Cache Control Protocol (WCCP);
• means for receiving an application message from a particular message source among a plurality of message sources coupled to one or more network interfaces and the processors, wherein the application message comprises one or more data frames, packets and segments;
• means for granting exclusive control of the particular message source to a selected one of the slave processors;
• means for assigning an ordered sequence number to the application message;
• means for granting exclusive control, for a particular message destination among a plurality of message destinations coupled to the network interfaces and the processors, to the selected one of the slave processors;
• and
• means for providing the application message to the particular message destination.

A computer-implemented method, comprising:

• establishing one of a plurality of processors as a master processor and all other processors as slave processors, wherein the establishing of one of the processors as a master processor and all other processors as slave processors is performed using Web Cache Control Protocol (WCCP);
• receiving an application message from a particular message source among a plurality of message sources coupled to one or more network interfaces and the processors, wherein the application message comprises one or more data frames, packets and segments;
• granting exclusive control of the particular message source to a selected one of the slave processors;
• assigning an ordered sequence number to the application message;
• granting exclusive control, for a particular message destination among a plurality of message destinations coupled to the network interfaces and the processors, to the selected one of the slave processors;
• and
• providing the application message to the particular message destination.