Certain embodiments of the present invention provide for a system (100) and method (800) (900) for preserving bandwidth in data networks. The method (800) (900) includes determining whether to perform functional redundancy processing for a current data set (840) (940). Determining whether to perform functional redundancy processing for a current data set may be conducted according to redundancy rules. In performing functional redundancy processing, the method includes searching at least one queue for a data set that is functionally redundant to the current data set (850) (950). The searching may be conducted according to redundancy rules. If a queued data set is found to be functionally redundant to the current data set, the queued data set may be dropped from the queue and the current data set added to the queue (860) (960). In such a manner, functionally redundant messages are dropped prior to transmission and bandwidth is optimized.