Abstract: Load balancing manager assigns to each cluster member a filter rule so as to divide traffic processing by a predetermined rule. According to the assigned rule, each cluster member obtains a packet multicast by an neighbor node on a data link with the neighbor node. Each cluster member detects a session of the obtained packet to perform predetermined processing such as recording and updating of a state and application of a firewall packet filter.

Abstract: Distribution processing control unit determines a main processing range and a sub-processing range whose charges are taken by a cluster member to which the unit belongs. Among packets multicast to a cluster system, a filter hands over packets matching with the main processing range and the sub-processing range to a session processing unit. The session processing unit conducts session processing (including processing of updating session information stored in a holding unit). Thereafter, when the packet matches with the main processing range, the session processing unit hands the packet over to a packet forwarding unit and when the packet matches with the sub-processing range, abandons the packet. When a cluster member in charge of main processing of a packet whose sub-processing is taken charge of by the cluster member in question develops a failure, a failure recovery unit changes the sub-processing range to the main processing range.

Abstract: The present invention provides a communication network comprising a host network, a plurality of base stations, at least a mobile host capable of establishing links to the base stations, and a hierarchy-network of plural routers which are improved in transferring performances for ensuring continuous operations with a reduced load without packet loss.

Abstract: The invention provides a route updating method which reduces the flow rate of updating notifications, which are circulated in a network, to improve the scalability. A micromobility network includes routers connected in a tree connection and radio base stations connected to the routers in the lowest layer such that an updating notification of a route from a mobile terminal is repeated in order from a radio base station to successive higher order routers to update the route and a packet is distributed along the updated route. In the mobility network, directly lower order routers to each router are numbered to the numbers 1 to n with reference to the direct lower order router accommodation number n, and a route from the radio base station to the router in the highest layer represented by a route number composed of the numbers of the thus numbered routers is applied to the radio base station.