Abstract: Methods and systems for supporting the alternate routing of calls between endpoints, such as session initiation protocol (SIP) endpoints, are provided. An inner gateway alternate route (IGAR) application is invoked when the primary, Internet protocol, communication network is overloaded or otherwise unable to handle a call. The IGAR application assigns incoming and outgoing trunks, and serves as a contact point for session managers in routing the trunk call.

Abstract: Methods and systems for supporting the alternate routing of calls between endpoints, such as session initiation protocol (SIP) endpoints, are provided. An inner gateway alternate route (IGAR) application is invoked when the primary, Internet protocol, communication network is overloaded or otherwise unable to handle a call. The IGAR application assigns incoming and outgoing trunks, and serves as a contact point for session managers in routing the trunk call.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a distributed environment, such as a packet network, based on a network assessment. One or more resources are allocated to a request in a distributed environment by identifying one or more potential resources to handle the request; obtaining a network connection assessment between the requester and the one or more potential resources; and assigning at least one of the one or more potential resources to the request based on the evaluation. The network connection assessment can assess, for example, a quality of a network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources or evaluate a topology of the network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources. The one or more resources can be selected based on a score assigned to each of the one or more potential resources.

Abstract: A method of determining local multicast information of a local area network (LAN), comprising dividing the LAN to a number of segments larger than the number of virtual LANs (VLANs) in the network and creating a layer-3 multicast routing table, which relates to each of the segments separately.

Abstract: The present invention is directed, in various embodiments, to a hardware supported duplication token for arbitrating active and standby module states, a weighted state of health exchange for identifying unhealthy module states and relative module health states, and a packet sequence number synchronization technique for maintaining desired levels of synchronization between the active and standby modules.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for allocating resources in a distributed environment, such as a packet network, based on a network assessment. One or more resources are allocated to a request in a distributed environment by identifying one or more potential resources to handle the request; obtaining a network connection assessment between the requester and the one or more potential resources; and assigning at least one of the one or more potential resources to the request based on the evaluation. The network connection assessment can assess, for example, a quality of a network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources or evaluate a topology of the network connection between the requester and each of the one or more potential resources. The one or more resources can be selected based on a score assigned to each of the one or more potential resources.

Abstract: A method of accelerating the routing of frames by an acceleration switch within a network. The method includes receiving, by the acceleration switch, frames directed to one of one or more routers or switches of the network, determining, for at least some of the received frames, whether the frames belong to a first list of frame groups, defined by values of a plurality of frame parameters, and routing, by the acceleration switch, at least some of the received frames, the routed frames being selected responsive to the determining.

Abstract: A method of implementing a distributed algorithm which is based on sending Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) only between neighboring bridging-devices in a network. The method includes sending BPDUs from a first bridging-device of the network to at least one non-neighboring second bridging-device, and determining a characteristic of the network responsive to the BPDUs.

Abstract: A layer 3 forwarding method for layer 3 forwarding an individual packet from a station I to a station II wherein the packet's layer 2 destination includes a router within the network which is reachable from a network element A via which stations I and II are connected to the network, the router storing ARP information, the method including providing network element A with a capability to perform layer 3 forwarding of a packet from station I to station II, wherein the providing step includes learning, on the part of network element A, of forwarding information used by the router to forward packets from station I to station II, by reading the ARP information of the router and performing layer 3 forwarding on the individual packet, at network element A.