Data path switching

Abstract

A method for selecting a data path includes identifying a plurality of available data paths between a router device and a wide area network. Path selection data is obtained. The path selection rules are processed with the obtained path selection data. For each of a plurality of data communications to be routed, one of the plurality of available data paths is selected according to the processing of the path selection rules. Each of the plurality of data communications is routed between a local area network and the wide area network via a data exchanger and a remote link that follows the data path selected for that data communication

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for selecting a data path, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of data paths between a router device and a wide area network, the plurality of data paths including a first data path and a second data path, the first data path having a first remote link that interconnects a first service provider and a first data exchanger, the second data path having a second remote link that interconnects a second service provider and a second data exchanger, the first data exchanger and the second data exchanger each having a device link with the router device;   obtaining path selection data for each of the plurality of data paths;   receiving a plurality of data communications to the router device from at least one client through a local link, the plurality of data communications including a first data communication and a second data communication;   processing path selection rules with the path selection data;   selecting, according to the processing of path selection rules, one of the plurality of data paths for each of the plurality of data communications on an individual basis, wherein the first data path is selected for the first data communication and the second data path is selected for the second data communication; and   routing each of the plurality of data communications between the router device and the wide area network according to the selected data path for that data communication, wherein the first data communication is routed via the first remote link that follows the first data path and the second data communication is routed via the second remote link that follows the second data path.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first data communication is routed via the first remote link simultaneously as the second data communication is routed via the second remote link. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of data communications includes a first subset containing the first data communication and a second subset containing the second data communication, a ratio of a number of the data communications in the first subset compared to a number of the data communications in the second subset being determined according to the processing of the path selection rules, wherein the first data path is selected for the first subset and the second data path is selected for the second subset. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the path selection data includes communication tier information, the first data communication having a first tier and the second data communication having a second tier, the first data path being selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path being selecting for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein data communications of a first type have the first tier and data communications of a second type have the second tier, the first data communication being of the first type and the second data communication being of the second type. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one client is a plurality of clients including a first client and a second client, the path selection data including client tier information for each of the plurality of clients, data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router device from the first client having a first tier and data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router device from the second client having a second tier, the first data communication being received from the first client and the second data communication being received from the second client, wherein the first data path is selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path is selected for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first remote link and the second remote link is a wireless remote link and the path selection data includes a signal strength of the wireless remote link. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the path selection data includes a security setting of each of the plurality of data paths, the security setting of the first data path being different than the security setting of the second data path. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon that when executed by a router device cause the router device to implement a method, medium having instructions for:
 identifying a plurality of data paths between a router device and a wide area network, the plurality of data paths including a first data path and a second data path, the first data path having a first remote link that interconnects a first service provider and a first data exchanger, the second data path having a second remote link that interconnects a second service provider and a second data exchanger, the first data exchanger and the second data exchanger each having a device link with the router device;   obtaining path selection data for each of the plurality of data paths;   receiving a plurality of data communications to the router device from at least one client through a local link, the plurality of data communications including a first data communication and a second data communication;   processing path selection rules with the path selection data;   selecting, according to the processing of path selection rules, one of the plurality of data paths for each of the plurality of data communications on an individual basis, wherein the first data path is selected for the first data communication and the second data path is selected for the second data communication; and   routing each of the plurality of data communications between the router device and the wide area network according to the selected data path for that data communication, wherein the first data communication is routed via the first remote link that follows the first data path and the second data communication is routed via the second remote link that follows the second data path.   
     
     
         10 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the first data communication is routed via the first remote link simultaneously as the second data communication is routed via the second remote link. 
     
     
         11 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of data communications includes a first subset containing the first data communication and a second subset containing the second data communication, a ratio of a number of the data communications in the first subset compared to a number of the data communications in the second subset being determined according to the processing of the path selection rules, wherein the first data path is selected for the first subset and the second data path is selected for the second subset. 
     
     
         12 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the path selection data includes communication tier information, the first data communication having a first tier and the second data communication having a second tier, the first data path being selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path being selecting for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules. 
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein data communications of a first type have the first tier and data communications of a second type have the second tier, the first data communication being of the first type and the second data communication being of the second type. 
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one client is a plurality of clients including a first client and a second client, the path selection data including client tier information for each of the plurality of clients, data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router device from the first client having a first tier and data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router device from the second client having a second tier, the first data communication being received from the first client and the second data communication being received from the second client, wherein the first data path is selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path is selected for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first remote link and the second remote link is a wireless remote link and the path selection data includes a signal strength of the wireless remote link. 
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 9 , wherein the path selection data includes a security setting of each of the plurality of data paths, the security setting of the first data path being different than the security setting of the second data path. 
     
     
         17 . A router device comprising:
 a router having a client interface configured to provide an interface between the router and at least one client to receive a plurality of data communications from the at least one client, the plurality of data communications including a first data communication and a second data communication;   a plurality of data exchanger interfaces configured to provide an interface between the router and a plurality of data exchangers, the plurality of data exchanger interfaces including a first data exchanger interface for a first data exchanger and a second data exchanger interface for a second data exchanger;   a remote link manager configured to identify a plurality of data paths between the router and a wide area network, the plurality of data paths including a first data path and a second data path, the first data path having a first remote link that interconnects a first service provider and the first data exchanger, the second data path having a second remote link that interconnects a second service provider and the second data exchanger;   the remote link manager being further configured to obtain path selection data for each of the plurality of data paths, process path selection rules with the obtained path selection data, and select, according to the processing of path selection rules, one of the plurality of data paths for each of the plurality of data communications on an individual basis, wherein the first data path is selected for the first data communication and the second data path is selected for the second data communication according to the processing of path selection rules; and   the router being configured to route each of the plurality of data communications between the router device and the wide area network according to the selected data path for that data communication.   
     
     
         18 . The router device of  claim 17 , wherein the first data exchanger and the second data exchanger are embedded in the router. 
     
     
         19 . The router device of  claim 17 , wherein the path selection data includes communication tier information, data communications of a first type having a first tier and data communications of a second type have a second tier, the first data communication being of the first type and the second data communication being of the second type, the first data path being selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path being selecting for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules by the remote link manager. 
     
     
         20 . The router device of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one client is a plurality of clients including a first client and a second client, the path selection data including client tier information for each of the plurality of clients, data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router from the first client having a first tier and data communications of the plurality of data communications received to the router from the second client having a second tier, the first data path being selected for data communications having the first tier and the second data path being selected for data communications having the second tier according to the processing of the path selection rules by the remote link manager.