Determination of a plurality of paths before selection of one path of the plurality of paths for transmission of one or more packets

A method, comprising the steps of:

• assigning a unique first path identifier to a first path of a plurality of paths between a first mesh network switch and a second mesh network switch;
• assigning a unique second path identifier to a second path of the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch;
• inserting one or more mesh tags comprising the first path identifier in one or more packets;
• employing said one or more mesh tags to direct the one or more packets along the first path rather than the second path;
• selecting the plurality of paths from a plurality of available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch based on one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of paths;
• and,
• testing the plurality of available paths to determine whether the plurality of paths are preferred over unused paths of the plurality of available paths.

A method, comprising the steps of:

• selecting a substitute path of a plurality of predetermined paths from a first mesh network switch to a second mesh network switch for transmission of one or more packets to the second mesh network switch upon a determination to avoid an intended path of the plurality of predetermined paths for transmission of the one or more packets by employing inserted unique path identifiers assigned to paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch to direct the one or more packets;
• selecting the plurality of predetermined paths from a plurality of available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch based on one or more performance characteristics of the plurality of paths;
• and,
• testing the plurality of available paths to determine whether the plurality of paths are preferred over unused paths of the plurality of available paths.

An apparatus, comprising:

• means for employing mesh connection information of one or more mesh network switches of a plurality of mesh network switches to determine a plurality of paths between a first mesh network switch and a second mesh network switch of the plurality of mesh network switches;
• means for selecting one path of the plurality of paths for transmission of one or more packets from the first mesh network switch to the second mesh network switch;
• means for assigning a plurality of unique identifiers to the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch;
• and
• means for inserting the identifier of the one path of the plurality of identifiers of the plurality of paths into the one or more packets to direct the one or more packets along the one path from the first mesh network switch to the second mesh network switch,
• wherein the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch comprise a subset of a plurality available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch,
• wherein the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network comprises a plurality of selected paths of the plurality available paths,
• and wherein the first mesh network switch periodically tests the plurality of available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch to determine whether the plurality of selected paths are preferred over unused paths of the plurality of available paths.

A network switch, comprising:

• means for assigning a first path identifier to a first path of a plurality of paths between a first mesh network switch and a second mesh network switch;
• means for assigning a second path identifier to a second path of the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch;
• means for inserting one or more mesh tags comprising the first path identifier in one or more packets;
• and
• means for employing said one or more mesh tags to direct the one or more packets along the first path rather than the second path,
• wherein the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch comprise a subset of a plurality available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch,
• wherein the plurality of paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network comprises a plurality of selected paths of the plurality available paths,
• and wherein the first mesh network switch periodically tests the plurality of available paths between the first mesh network switch and the second mesh network switch to determine whether the plurality of selected paths are preferred over unused paths of the plurality of available paths.