Selective steering of media data streams

Abstract

The invention relates to a method, by a control node (), for selecting one of a plurality of media forwarding elements () in a network for forwarding an additional media data stream by the selected media forwarding element, the method comprising the steps of receiving (S, S, S) a load message from one of the media forwarding elements, the load message containing information about a load level of said one media forwarding element and about how media data streams from a first area () of the network from which said one media forwarding element receives the media data streams contribute to the load level of said one media forwarding element. The received information is stored in a storage unit () of the control node. When a setup request for an additional media data stream is received, the setup request requesting a selection of one of the media forwarding elements for the second media data stream by the control node (). One of the media forwarding elements is selected for the additional media data stream taking into account the stored information, wherein, for the selection, it is checked based on the stored information whether the set up request for the additional media data stream is relating to a media data stream from the first area (), wherein, if the second media data stream is relating to a media data stream from the first area (), said one media forwarding element is excluded (S, S) from the selection of the media forwarding element for the additional media data stream.