Method of data delivery across a network

Abstract

The present invention provides a method of preserving packet ordering in a multi-path network having a plurality of network elements interconnected by network links wherein for each data packet arriving at an egress port of the multi-path network, a delivery acknowledgement is issued by the egress port and is transmitted across the network following in reverse the path taken by the data packet being acknowledged, and wherein the state of each link in the path taken by the data packet being acknowledged is updated by the acknowledgement. The present invention further provides a multi-path network for use in a bridge, switch, router, hub or the like, the multi-path network comprising a plurality of network ports; a plurality of network elements; and a plurality of network links interconnecting the network elements and the network ports for transporting data packets, each network egress port including acknowledgement means for issuing a delivery acknowledgement in response to receipt of a data packet and each network element being adapted to transmitted a delivery acknowledgment in the opposite direction along the path taken by the data packet being acknowledged and being further adapted to update the state of at least one of the network links to which it is connected in response to receipt of an acknowledgement. The invention further provides an Ethernet bridge or router incorporating such a multi-path network.