Abstract: Arrangements and methods for improving the probability of finding a connection path that meets user specified delay requirements. The improvements offer packet switches enhanced path selection that will improve the resource utilization of networks, both flat networks and hierarchical networks incorporating such switches. The latter type of networks run the path selection algorithm in the PNNI v1.0 standard where the packet switches are asynchronous transfer mode switches. Two modes of enhanced delay-based path selection are based on two different accumulation methods, namely an additive method and an asymptotic method.

Abstract: Arrangements and methods for efficiently selecting an optimum connection path that meets user specified delay requirements with enhanced efficiency. In a basic aspect, a method is implemented by one of a plurality of algorithms to meet user QoS specifications. The user not only specifies a delay threshold T for the incoming request but also specifies a delay threshold tolerance &egr; for the path delay that will satisfy him. Two implementations are disclosed. The first is termed non-iterative and sets scaling factor &tgr;=min (T, (n−1)/&egr;), where n is a number of links in a shortest path, scales all the relevant delay parameters by &tgr;/T, truncates all the scaled values to integers, and uses a dynamic programming algorithm to accumulate the total of resulting link delay parameters values for each possible shortest path. The second method, termed iterative, is similar, except that it sets &tgr;<<T.

Abstract: Methods and communication networks having a plurality of connection-oriented switches in which administrative weights are assigned based on link call blocking probabilities. Three assignment schemes include, first, a solution that can be built in the switch software of sufficiently similar switches to enable the switches to determine administrative weights for their links. The second and third schemes employ administrative weight management stations. The second scheme uses an administrative weight management station that operates to enhance total network revenue or throughput in a communication network in which all of the switches implement a certain type of accounting management information databases (MIB). The third scheme uses an administrative weight management station that computes administrative weights for switches that do not have the capability for the second scheme, but which employ appropriate MIBs.