1. A method for recovery from failure in a node in a data processing system which includes said node and a communications adapter coupled to the node, said method comprising the steps of: restarting said failed node and generating keys, for data packets to be transferred to said adapter, based on a random number seeded key generator; checking, by at least one of said adapters, that a key provided within data packet headers received by said at least one adapter matches a key loaded by a device driver into a table resident in the respective one of said nodes; dropping said packet if said checking indicates a failed match.