Abstract: A system for responding to failures of connections in a network. In one embodiment, there is a system for responding to destination failures involving SPVx (switched-permanent virtual circuit) connections includes a primary source node. The system includes a primary source switch for producing an SPVx connection, the primary source node in communication with the primary source switch. The system includes a primary destination node. The system includes a primary destination switch for receiving the SPVx connection, the primary destination node in communication with the primary destination switch, the connection following a primary path between the primary source node and the primary destination node. The system includes an alternate destination node. The primary destination switch redirects automatically the primary connection to the alternate destination node along an alternate path when the primary destination switch detects a failure of the primary path.

Abstract: In a packet-based communications network (100), a virtual connection is established between a source node (102a) and a destination node (102b), which may traverse one or more intermediate nodes (105). During the flow of packets along the virtual connection in a forward direction, from the source node (102a) to the destination node (102b), each node measures the utilization of critical resources (CUF), and this utilization information is inserted into return packets flowing in the backward (return) direction, from the destination node (102b) to the source node (102b). CUF is indicative of the maximum utilization of any resource in the virtual connection forward path. If the network utilization information indicates that the resources of a virtual connection are under-utilized, the submission rate (SIR) of packets onto the virtual connection is increased.