A method and apparatus for decreasing delay and use of data processing resources in the reliable transmission of data frames in a packet network. In transmitting data from a source to a destination over a plurality of intermediate data switching points, the data processing required for each frame is selectively varied at each data switching point, according to the requirements for transmission of data frames of a message and of the succeeding link used for that message. A virtual link address is transmitted with each data frame which is translated into the mode of processing the frame at the data switching point, and into the virtual and real address of the next data link. Advantageously, such an arrangement allows for minimizing the data processing load and delay at each protocol handler of the data path through the packet network.