Abstract: A method to preserve the ordering of data packets of a same flow (P1-P4, P7, P8) passing either through a control plane (CP) or through a data plane (DP) of a telecommunication network element. The method comprises the step of, when the control plane starts processing the new flow, the control plane controls the data plane to latch any other packet belonging to this flow by sending a first control packet (C1) to said data plane. When the processing is completed, the control plane controls the data plane to release the latched packets by sending a second control packet (C3) to said data plane. The present method is particularly applicable to Ethernet frames, where it is also not allowed to reorder frames belonging to a same ‘Ethernet flow’.

Abstract: Systems for transmitting information from terminal systems (1) via access multiplexers (3) comprising virtual forwarder systems (5) to networks are made less complex by inserting at the terminal systems (1) virtual forwarder internet protocol addresses (35,64,66) into destination fields of internet protocol headers for heading the information and by inserting destination internet protocol addresses (36,37,38,65,67) into routing fields of the internet protocol headers. Both the terminal systems (1) and the access multiplexers (3) should be made capable of dealing with internet protocol headers of the internet protocol version-4 or the internet protocol version-6 or higher, which comprise a destination field and a routing field.