Abstract: An apparatus and method of establishing communication between a first application added to a platform, and a second application executing on the platform, controls the first and second applications to establish a path for interapplication communication. To that end, a notify message is forwarded to the second application when the first application is added to the system. Receipt of the notify message by the second application causes the second application to ascertain path data for establishing a path between the two applications. The first application also ascertains path data for establishing a path between the applications. The first and second applications then are controlled to establish a single path between the first application and the second application after the path data is ascertained.

Abstract: A link state advertisement protocol message received from an originating device over an inbound interface is forwarded over the fast path according to a reverse path forwarding determination. Specifically, a reverse path forwarding check is performed in order to determine the reverse path forwarding interface for the originating device. A forwarding state that indicates the reverse path forwarding interface may be installed, in which case the forwarding state may be used to determine the reverse path forwarding interface. If the inbound interface is determined to be the reverse path forwarding interface for the originating device, then the link state advertisement protocol message is forwarded over the fast path. Otherwise, the link state advertisement protocol message is not forwarded over the fast path. The link state advertisement protocol message continues to be processed and forwarded by the control plane as usual for robustness.

Abstract: Using alternate routes for fail-over in a communication network involves maintaining a preferred route and an alternate route in a routing table and routing protocol messages according to the alternate route when the preferred route is unavailable. A node obtains multiple routes for a destination, prioritizes the routes, and installs multiple routes in the routing table, including at least the preferred route and the alternate route. When the node receives a protocol message, the node searches the routing table for a highest priority route that is available for routing the protocol message, and routes the protocol message according to the highest priority route that is available for routing the protocol message. When a route becomes unavailable, the node updates the routing table to indicate that the route is unavailable, and may compute new routes and/or re-prioritize existing routes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of managing a router table that includes inter-router protocol information indexes the routing table to the inter-router protocol information. Such inter-router protocol information may include data identifying the name of protocol itself, or other related information. To that end, the routing information within the routing table first is indexed based upon the inter-routing protocol information to produce indexed routing information. A given routing information request then may be received. The given request requests both routing information from the routing table, and information relating to a given inter-router protocol. The indexed routing information then is accessed to retrieve the information requested in the request.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of managing communication between a first application that has failed and an executing second application permits the first application to establish a path to the second application. To that end, a fail message (notifying the second application that the first application has failed) is forwarded toward the second application, and the first application is restarted. As noted above, the first application establishes a path to the second application after it is restarted. Once the path is established, the second application is notified that the first application is ready to communicate via the path.

Abstract: A routing device includes a routing application program interface that routing programs utilize to route data packets to other devices in a network. To that end, the routing device includes a processor for executing a routing program, a plurality of functional modules that control the operation of the routing device and forward data packets to the other network devices as specified by the routing program, and the routing application program interface operatively coupled with the processor. The routing program utilizes a set of specified commands associated with the routing application program interface for interacting with the plurality of functional modules through the routing application program interface. The routing program specifies a data packet routing protocol, while the functional modules comprise at least one of hardware and software.

Abstract: A border network device for transmitting messages between a first multicast domain and a second multicast domain includes a first interface that receives a first domain message from the first domain for delivery to the second domain, a first message converter that converts the received first domain message into a first intermediate message, and an output that forwards the first intermediate message to a receiving second network device in the second domain. The first multicast domain and second multicast domain each respectively have first network devices and second network devices. In preferred embodiments, the first domain message has first domain origin data. Messages with first domain origin data originate from at least one of the first network devices. In a similar manner, the intermediate message includes intermediate data indicating that the intermediate message originated from the border network device.

Abstract: In a system, device, and method for expediting reconvergence in a communication network, a first indication of a communication link failure prompts a node to compute new routes. Upon receiving the first indication of the communication link failure, the node determines the nodes that are associated with the failed communication link. The node disassociates the failed communication link from all such nodes, and computes new routes. Subsequent indications of the same communication link failure are ignored.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for expediting control flow in a communication system involves establishing a separate control channel for high priority control messages between two network nodes and exchanging high priority control messages over the control channel. The control channel may be a physical or virtual channel. Within a particular network node, a separate high priority queue is used for transferring high priority control messages between a control plane and a forwarding plane.

Abstract: A link state advertisement protocol message received from an originating device over an inbound interface is forwarded by the fast path according to a minimum spanning tree. Specifically, a minimum spanning tree is established based upon the topology information obtained from the link state routing protocol. The minimum spanning tree identifies the outbound interfaces to which the link state advertisement protocol message is to be forwarded. The link state advertisement protocol message is forwarded be the fast path according to the minimum spanning tree, and more specifically the link state advertisement protocol message is forwarded by the fast path to all outbound interfaces identified by the minimum spanning tree other than the inbound interface. The link state advertisement protocol message continues to be processed and forwarded by the control plane as usual for robustness.

Abstract: A link state advertisement protocol message received from an originating device over an inbound interface is forwarded over the fast path according to a multicast distribution tree using a special multicast address. Specifically, a special multicast address is used for the link state advertisement protocol message. The special multicast address differentiates the link state advertisement protocol message from other protocol messages. A multicast routing protocol is used to establish a multicast distribution tree for distributing link state advertisement protocol messages based upon the special multicast address. The multicast distribution tree determines, among other things, the preferred inbound interface for the link state advertisement protocol message and any outbound interfaces to which the link state advertisement protocol message is to be forwarded. The link state advertisement protocol message is forwarded according to the multicast distribution tree.

Abstract: The invention disclosed is a novel composite material useful in tent construction, particularly for cold-weather use. The novel composite includes an outer water-vapour permeable, substantially wind-proof layer, a thermal insulating layer adjacent the outer layer, a water-vapour barrier layer adhesively bonded to the thermal insulating layer and an inner water-absorbent layer which is preferably flame-resistant. Condensation problems which occur in tents used in cold-weather conditions are minimized by the provision of an inner water-absorbent layer which absorbs and directs condensed water-vapour to the tent floor.