TWO LEVEL PACKET DISTRIBUTION WITH STATELESS FIRST LEVEL PACKET DISTRIBUTION TO A GROUP OF SERVERS AND STATEFUL SECOND LEVEL PACKET DISTRIBUTION TO A SERVER WITHIN THE GROUP

摘要

A method, in one or more network elements that are in communication between clients that transmit packets and servers, of distributing the packets among the servers which are to process the packets. Stickiness of flows to servers assigned to process them is provided. A packet of a flow is received at a static first level packet distribution module. A group of servers is statically selected for the packet of the flow with the first level module. State that assigns the packet of the flow to the selected group of servers is not used. The packet of the flow is distributed to a distributed stateful second level packet distribution system. A server of the selected group is statefully selected with the second level system by accessing state that assigns processing of packets of the flow to the selected server. The packet of the flow is distributed to the selected server.