Abstract: This invention provides the ability to load balance calls in a communications network using a certain criterion, such as a user-specified call priority, or the call service category. The method is applied when selecting a route for a new call or for re-balancing the calls across a network. When the user-specified call priority is used, the aggregated number of calls with the same priority or service category is calculated for all possible routes the new call may use. The aggregated number of calls is then divided by the number of hops in the respective routes; the route with the smallest ratio is selected for the new call. Re-balancing is performed by re-routing the calls in such a way as to obtain a similar number of calls of the same priority, or service category along all possible routes.

Abstract: This invention provides the ability to load balance calls in a communications network using a certain criterion, such as a user-specified call priority, or the call class of service. The method is applied when selecting a route for a new call or for re-balancing the calls across a network. When the user-specified call priority is used, the aggregated number of calls with the same priority or class of service is calculated for all possible routes the new call may use. The aggregated number of calls is then divided by the number of hops in the respective routes; the route with the smallest ratio is selected for the new call. Re-balancing is performed by re-routing the calls in such a way as to obtain a similar number of calls of the same priority, or class of service, along all possible routes.

Abstract: An emergency alert system for alerting DSL subscribers of imminent perils includes an alert server connected over a direct link to an edge node of a metro network for receiving an event notification, configuring from an event notification a highest priority alert message, and broadcasting the alert message to subscriber terminals over the metro network. An Add-Drop Multiplexer (ADM) multiplexes the alert traffic with the regular traffic onto the direct link, and the multiplexed traffic reaches the edge node of the metro network, which is configured with a high priority policy. The edge node discards the lower priority traffic in the presence of the alert traffic and an applet installed on the subscriber terminal accepts and displays the alert message in a browser or a media player.

Abstract: An emergency alert system for alerting DSL subscribers of imminent perils includes an alert server connected over a direct link to an edge node of a metro network for receiving an event notification, configuring from an event notification a highest priority alert message, and broadcasting the alert message to subscriber terminals over the metro network. An add multiplexer (ADM) multiplexes the alert traffic with the regular traffic onto the direct link, anthe multiplexed traffic reaches the edge node of the metro network, which is configured with a high priority policy. The edge node discards the lower priority traffic in the presence of the alert traffic and an applet installed on said subscriber terminal accepts and displays the alert message in a browser or a media player.