Abstract: In response to a network topology change, a clock root node calculates a new clock path for each affected node by building a clock source topology tree, and identifying from that tree a path to the network node from a clock source of higher or equal stratum relative to that network node. The root node then sends a network message to each node indicating the new path that the node should use. Each node receives the message and compares the new path with the existing path. If the paths are different then the node acquires the new path just received in the message. If the paths are the same then the node does nothing and discards the message.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique to define objects and object instances in a dynamically modifiable table within the confines of a management information base definition. With the invention, new objects and object instances may be added to the table without changing the management information base definition at a managed device or network management system. The managed device can change the table, yet allow the network management system to access the table using an associated object identifier. The network management system can systematically step through the various objects or object instances, which may correspond to rows and columns of the table, to detect additions or modifications to the table. The various objects and object instances in the table may be individually accessed, once identified, using a unique object identifier.

Abstract: A metro area network is provided that includes edge and core multiplexors each having a plurality of line ports and one or more uplink ports, a transport network carrying multiplexed traffic between the edge and core multiplexors. In a hard cross connect implementation utilizing source port tagging, a cross-connect device coupled to the core multiplexors provisions or maps communications path between the core multiplexors thereby providing preselected connectivity/mapping of two or more line ports of any of the edge multiplexors. In a soft cross connect implementation utilizing destination port tagging, a cross-connect device includes additional cross-connect multiplexors and functionality to control the destination port tagging performed in the edge, core and cross connect multiplexors thereby provisioning or mapping the desired communications path(s) between various endpoints.

Abstract: An improved method is described for providing Differentiated Services (Diffserv) traffic to a node in a network that implements a security method that discards duplicate packets received at the node. The method includes the step of identifying at least two service levels to be provided to received traffic and assigning different size look-back window counts to each of the service levels. The look-back window count indicates a number of packets that have been previously received at the node that should be compared against a received packet to determine whether a duplicate packet has been received. In one embodiment, a service level that has higher priority is assigned a lower look-back window count and thus examines fewer previously received packets than a service level having a lower priority. Such an arrangement reduces the possibility that traffic having higher priority is dropped as a security measure.

Abstract: Multicast capabilities of a link state protocol controlled network are used to accelerate the flooding advertisement of topology change notifications within portions of the network. This flooding mechanism may be particularly efficient in a network with a large number of two-connected nodes such as a ring network architecture. A control plane specific multicast group address is used when flooding topology change notifications, and a process such as reverse path forwarding check is used as an additional control on forwarding of the notification to prevent looping of control plane packets. Two-connected nodes insert a forwarding entry into their FIB to enable frames containing the control message to be forwarded via the data plane on to the downstream node so that propagation of the control message along a chain of two-connected nodes may occur at data plane speeds.

Abstract: XML appliances/routers may be organized to implement one or more XML distribution rings to enable XML documents/messages to be distributed efficiently. The rings may be logical or physical. The XML distribution rings enable the XML documents/messages to be exchanged without requiring the XML appliances/routers to run a routing protocol to determine how XML documents/messages should be distributed through the network. Documents may be transmitted in one way on the ring or may be transmitted in both directions around the ring to enable the ring to tolerate failure of an XML appliance/router. Each XML appliance/router will receive all XML documents/messages and will make routing decisions for those clients that have provided the XML appliance/router with XML subscriptions. The subscriptions may be formed according to the XPath standard or in another manner.

Abstract: In a communication network comprising nodes and links between the nodes, a controller node disseminates link state information. A nodal routing table exists at each node comprising routes between pairs of nodes. The nodal routing table is either populated by the given node based on network information received from the controlling node or populated at the controlling node and received by the given node. Each node receives heartbeat signals from its neighboring nodes. An unexpected delay between heartbeat signals may be perceived as a failure of a link. The perceived failure of that link is reported by the perceiving node to the controlling node. Upon receiving link failure information from a node, the controlling node may determine a subset of nodes in the network influenced by the link failure and indicate the link failure to the determined subset of influenced nodes.

Abstract: A centralized password repository (CPR) provides network users with a password portal through which the user can manage password access to domains and applications on the network. A subset of the domains and applications on the network may be required, by design, to maintain a separate password infrastructure. For these systems, the CPR establishes a secure and authenticated communication channel and software on the system interfaces with the password infrastructure to synchronize the password in the system password infrastructure with the password in the CPR. For other systems not required to maintain a separate password infrastructure, the CPR performs password services by responding to requests from those systems seeking to validate user IDs and passwords. The CPR enables an administrator to modify network privileges and enables a user to alter passwords on the network through a single interface.

Abstract: Described are a system and method for presenting, to a first user, information about a second user to enable the first user to select an appropriate communication means for communicating with the second user. A service node receives from a web browser executing at a communication device used by the first user a request for a web page associated with the second user. The service node collects information related to a current status of activity of the second user, determines one or more options for establishing communications with the second user, and transmits to the first user the web page having the current activity of the second user and the one or more communications options.

Abstract: The present invention supports a scheduling protocol on a wireless communication network to transmit data packets stored in a queue from a user. Two performance metrics are generated and summed to provide a priority. The performance metrics are based on the delay for the data packets stored in the queue and the rate that the data packets can be transmitted on the network. The user with the higher calculated priority for the current time slot has its data packets transmitted.

Abstract: A network planning tool and method for configuring a connection-oriented packet network over a WDM optical network without an optical control layer, such as a SONET/SDH layer. The optical network includes a plurality of optical fibers interconnected through nodes and the connection-oriented packet network, such an Ethernet network, MPLS network, or pseudowire network, includes two or more terminal devices. The method and tool function by building an association between the components of the physical layer, such as the optical fiber, and their geographic location or path. The connection-oriented packet network is configured by building multi-link trunks (MLTs) between terminal devices, where the MLTs are built by aggregating lightpaths that traverse distinctive geographic paths. The MLTs are planned and configured through aggregating lightpaths that traverse incongruent sets of photonic elements.

Abstract: A method for interfacing a customer with a call center. Information obtained from a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag is transmitted to the call center to provide additional information about the customer and allow the session to be accurately routed within the call center. The call center may be accessed by telephone, computer, or other type of customer premises equipment over a voice or data network. The RFID tag may be an identification tag provided to the customer for access to the call center or may be a tag associated with the customer and not specific to the call center. The call center may route calls based on routing information contained in the RFID tag information, customer identity and previous sessions with that customer, personal and demographic information and statistical support records for other sessions involving customers with similar personal and demographic information, and according to agent statistical support records.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique for facilitating emergency services via packet networks. Emergency service providers will implement emergency proxies to ensure that proper call setup requests for emergency services are forwarded to the appropriate entities, even if those entities are in overload conditions. The emergency proxies may authenticate and filter call setup requests to ensure that only proper call setup requests are forwarded to help prevent such overload conditions. The emergency proxies may operate solely in a packet network, as well as at the interface between a packet network and a circuit-switched network to assist in call setup requests originating from either the packet network or the circuit-switched network.

Abstract: After statically provisioned paths are created through an Ethernet network, trunks may be created to extend along those paths. The trunks extend between pairs of NNI interfaces on either end of the path, and Ethernet OAM may be run over the trunks to detect connectivity along the paths. Service instances and service groups may be provisioned over particular paths through the network. Each service instance/service group is associated with a trunk and the Ethernet OAM service on the trunk may be used to provide Ethernet connectivity OAM for the service instance/service group. Upon detection of a failure on the trunk, the service instances/service groups associated with the trunk may be caused to failover to an alternate path through the network. Thus, a single Ethernet OAM service instance may be used to provide connectivity verification so that connectivity detection does not need to be performed on each individual service instances/service group.

Abstract: A system and method for validation and enforcement of application security, wherein the user credentials and the integrity of a target application are verified before the target application is permitted to execute.

Abstract: A count of data segments is maintained. The count includes data segments in a queue and data segments in transit between a data source and the queue. A flow of data segments from the data source is controlled, based on a value of the count.

Abstract: An improved packet handler for VoIP cable modems and other high-speed digital devices includes a direct communication link via hardware among internal processing components. Incoming and outgoing digital information packets are filtered into MAC packets, voice PDU packets, and non-voice PDU packets, such that priority can be given to relaying voice packets and minimizing potential voice delay within the cable network. Hardware components, including specialized logic circuitry, modify voice packets to an appropriate signal form for subsequent signal processing or signal transmission. Proprietary bus communication protocols can also be provided to facilitate relay of packets between a central processing unit (CPU) and a digital signal processor (DSP) within a VoIP cable modem. Line cards including subscriber line interface circuit (SLIC) and subscriber line audio processing circuit (SLAC) components provide analog-to-digital (A/D) and digital-to-analog (D/A) conversion functionality.

Abstract: After statically provisioned paths are created through an Ethernet network, trunks may be created to extend along those paths. The trunks extend between pairs of NNI interfaces on either end of the path, and Ethernet OAM may be run over the trunks to detect connectivity along the paths. Service instances and service groups may be provisioned over particular paths through the network. Each service instance/service group is associated with a trunk and the Ethernet OAM service on the trunk may be used to provide Ethernet connectivity OAM for the service instance/service group. Upon detection of a failure on the trunk, the service instances/service groups associated with the trunk may be caused to failover to an alternate path through the network. Thus, a single Ethernet OAM service instance may be used to provide connectivity verification so that connectivity detection does not need to be performed on each individual service instances/service group.

Abstract: In a network device such as a network switch having a port coupled to a communications medium dedicated to a single virtual local area network and another port coupled to a communications medium shared among multiple virtual local area networks for transmitting data frames between the dedicated communications medium and the shared communications medium, a method of identifying the virtual network associated with each data frame received by the network switch when transmitting the data frames over the shared communications medium. The method comprises receiving data frames from the dedicated communications medium coupled to one port, and, with respect to each data frame so received, inserting a new type field and a virtual network identifier field. The contents of the new type field indicate the data frame comprises a virtual network identifier field.

Abstract: In a network device such as a network switch having a port coupled to a communications medium dedicated to a single virtual local area network and another port coupled to a communications medium shared among multiple virtual local area networks for transmitting data frames between the dedicated communications medium and the shared communications medium, a method of identifying the virtual network associated with each data frame received by the network switch when transmitting the data frames over the shared communications medium. The method comprises receiving data frames from the dedicated communications medium coupled to one port, and, with respect to each data frame so received, inserting a new type field and a virtual network identifier field. The contents of the new type field indicate the data frame comprises a virtual network identifier field.