Abstract: The present invention provides a network relay apparatus capable of assuring the prevention of occurrence of order reversion of packets within flows and shifting a packet distribution destination according to load information. The network relay apparatus includes: a packet distribution processor for distributing input packets to thereby achieve load dispersion of packet processing; a statistical information collector for regularly collecting load conditions of respective packet processors; and a distribution information holder for retaining information for specifying the packet distribution destinations upon distribution of the packets. Information about the load conditions of the respective packet processors are compiled and distributed to the packet processor smallest in load. Timing provided to change the packet distribution destination is assumed to be given when a processing waiting queue does not include a packet corresponding to its flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides a network relay apparatus capable of assuring the prevention of occurrence of order reversion of packets within flows and shifting a packet distribution destination according to load information. The network relay apparatus includes: a packet distribution processor for distributing input packets to thereby achieve load dispersion of packet processing; a statistical information collector for regularly collecting load conditions of respective packet processors; and a distribution information holder for retaining information for specifying the packet distribution destinations upon distribution of the packets. Information about the load conditions of the respective packet processors are compiled and distributed to the packet processor smallest in load. Timing provided to change the packet distribution destination is assumed to be given when a processing waiting queue does not include a packet corresponding to its flow.

Abstract: Receiving terminals joining a multicast group are divided into sub groups and rekeying is performed only on the sub group which one of the receiving terminals has left. An encryption key management system having an encryption method is provided in which a multicast server is connected via an IP network, a seed node carries out encryption multicast communications among receiving terminals by using an encryption key, the receiving terminals are properly divided into the sub groups, the single encryption key is used for data distribution of the multicast server, and the number of decoding keys is equal to the number of divided sub groups.