Multi-path routing control for an encrypted tunnel

A communication system, comprising:

• an initiator in communication with one or more data sources;
• a receiver configured to receive data that is transmitted from the one or more data sources over a single secured link between the initiator and the receiver, wherein when the single secured link is initialized, initiator cookies are passed between the initiator and the receiver to relate their identities and setup the single secured link along with creating a security association, the security association including routable IP representing the initiator and the receiver along with a unique identifier, the transmitted data including one or more encrypted data packets and a unique identifier, the one or more encrypted data packets being unintelligible after transmission by the initiator and prior to being received by the receiver;
• and
• a multi-path router in communication with the initiator and the receiver, the multi-path router being configured to:
• receive the transmitted data;
• receive information associating the unique identifier with the one or more encrypted data packets;
• establish one or more routing rules based at least partially upon the unique identifier and the information associating the unique identifier with the one or more encrypted data packets, the one or more routing rules include a directive to transfer at least a portion of the transmitted data along at least one communication path;
• and
• direct the transmitted data along the at least one communication path selected from a plurality of communication paths between the initiator and the receiver within the single secured link, the at least one communication path being selected based upon the unique identifier and the one or more routing rules.

A method of routing data through an encrypted tunnel, comprising:

• encrypting one or more data packets for secured transmission from an initiator to a receiver;
• establishing a single secured link between the initiator and the receiver;
• generating a unique identifier associated with the secured link established between the initiator and the receiver, wherein when the single secured link is initialized, initiator cookies are passed between the initiator and the receiver to relate their identities and setup the single secured link along with creating a security association, the security association including routable IP representing the initiator and the receiver along with the unique identifier;
• transmitting information associating the unique identifier with the one or more encrypted data packets to a multi-path router;
• transmitting data including the one or more encrypted data packets and the unique identifier from the initiator along a portion of the secured link to the multi-path router;
• establishing one or more routing rules based at least partially upon the unique identifier and the information associating the unique identifier with the one or more encrypted data packets, the one or more routing rules include a directive to transfer at least a portion of the transmitted data along at least one communication path;
• and
• directing the transmitted data from the multi-path router to the receiver along the at least one communication path selected from a plurality of communication paths between the initiator and the receiver within the single secured link, the at least one communication path being selected based upon the unique identifier and the one or more routing rules.