Patent attributes
In a method of reducing network congestion between a source computer and a destination computer, a receiving router receives a source quench message and determines whether originator of the source quench message is the destination computer or an intermediate router. If the receiving router determines the originator to be the destination computer, the receiving router forwards the source quench message to the source computer. If the receiving router determines the originator to be an intermediate router, the receiving computer determines if there is an alternative route from the receiving router to the destination computer. If the receiving router determines there is no alternative route from the receiving router to the destination computer, the receiving router forwards the source quench message to the source computer. If the receiving router determines there is an alternative route to the destination computer, the receiving router does not forward the source quench message to the source computer, and, going forward, routes packets to the destination computer by the alternative route.