| CPC H04L 69/26 (2013.01) [H04L 12/4633 (2013.01); H04L 45/16 (2013.01); H04L 45/42 (2013.01); H04L 45/64 (2013.01); H04L 47/15 (2013.01); H04L 47/18 (2013.01); H04L 47/52 (2013.01); H04L 49/25 (2013.01); H04L 69/324 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims | 

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               1. A device comprising at least one access node, wherein the at least one access node comprises a source access node configured to: 
            establish a logical tunnel over a plurality of parallel data paths between the source access node and a destination access node within a computer network, wherein the source access node is coupled to a source server and the destination access node is coupled to a destination server, wherein the source access node and the destination access node are connected by an intermediate network comprising a switch fabric having a plurality of core switches; 
                send a request message for a packet flow of packets from the source server to the destination server; and 
                in response to receipt of a grant message for the packet flow, send the packets of the packet flow over the logical tunnel, wherein to send the packets over the logical tunnel, the source access node is configured to spray the packets of the packet flow across the plurality of parallel data paths to the destination access node by directing each of the packets to one of the parallel data paths selected based on bandwidth characteristics of the one of the parallel data paths, wherein the bandwidth characteristics are determined based on a tracking of a number of bytes transmitted on each of the parallel data paths. 
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