Abstract: A system and method for managing a WAP gateway through SNMP, by using a MIB. The MIB of the present invention contains a number of different details about the WAP gateway, and enables various operational parameters of the WAP gateway to be monitored and controlled.

Abstract: A method of searching utilizing a longest match based Radix Search Trie with variable length keys and having the ability to handle keys being prefixes of other keys. The method is based on the well known Patricia search trie algorithm. The address prefixes representing the keys for the tree are modified before being processed by the algorithm. A single byte is added to the beginning of each address prefix which is set equal to the length of the address prefix. The combined address length byte followed by the address prefix is used by the Patricia algorithm . When one address is the prefix of another, the length byte will make both addresses unique and distinct from each other. The conventional Patricia search can now be used since the keys have been made unique. A circular prefix list is maintained in descending numerical order comprising an entry for each distinct value of address length insure that the longest matching address is found.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and method for distributing incoming packets among several servers or other network devices, such as routers or proxies. The distribution is based on calculations, which include data associated with each of the packets. The data is selected to be invariant from packet to packet within a session. The system and method preferably operate independently from the servers or other devices, and therefore do not require feedback from the servers, and do not require the maintenance of a session table.

Abstract: A method of transferring relatively short messages in an Asynchronous Transfer Mode network utilizing an emulated connectionless oriented technique. The method permits a short burst of data to be transmitted between users, utilizing a modified signaling scheme. The signaling scheme is modified so as to emulate a connectionless scheme whereby messages are transferred with no guarantee of delivery. The length of a message can be up to 47 bytes, i.e., the length of the data content of a single ATM cell. The method includes sending a setup message from the source user to the attached node requesting that a call of the fast type be set up. In response to this setup message, the attached node replies with a connect message indicating to the source user that it can immediately begin to transmit its short message.

Abstract: A method of providing redundancy and load sharing among multiple LECSs in an ATM network. The method creates and maintains a plurality of lists on each of the switches. Each list is an ordered set of LECSs that combine to create an active LECS list. The network is divided into a plurality of groups wherein each group is assigned one of the active LECS lists. The order of each active LECS list is unique in that no two groups have the same order of LECS. The first LECS on each list has the highest priority and is always the first choice when a request to join a VLAN is received from one of the connected LECs. If the primary lECS fails or cannot be reached for any reason, the switches utilize the second LECS on the list. Splitting up the network into multiple groups and assigning different lists serves to provide load sharing among the LECS. In the event the currently active LECS fails, the next on the list takes overt thus providing redundancy.

Abstract: A method of path restoration in an ATM network which attempts to minimize the loss of cells in the event a node or a link fails. The method is suitable for failures in point to point Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) in ATM networks and makes use of the bi-directional properties of point to point SVC calls. The method permits the construction of an ATM network which includes call path redundancy whereby if a node or link fails, another path meeting the requirements of the call (if one exists) will be used on an automatic basis. The alternative or redundant path is placed into service in such a way that the flow of data is substantially constant. The switching of the path occurs with almost no data loss and without the overhead time associated with Q.SAAL based detection and signaling.

Abstract: A method that provides a solution to the problem of overlapping branches in a point to multipoint call. The method is suitable for both Leaf Initiated Joins (LIJ) and existing point to multipoint call. The method has applications when adding a new leaf to an already existing point to multipoint connection and where the ROOT node has a corrupted point to multipoint view of the network. The method includes the overlapping node realizing that it is an overlapping node whereby it continues with the establishment of the downstream path in a conventional manner. The overlapping node then waits for the SETUP/ADD PARTY CONNECT to be received before continuing. Once the CONNECT is received, the overlapping node establishes an end point reference path to the point to multipoint root node over existing branches. The new call segments are established and the overlapping segments are then trimmed from the tree.

Abstract: A method of providing redundancy in a LAN Emulation network in the event an LES fails. The method is light in that it does not require complicated database synchronizations between LECSs and their associated complex message protocol exchanges. The method comprises defining a plurality of LESs per ELAN, but permitting only one of the LESs to be active at any one moment in time. All the LECSs are configured with the same Topology Database which include the all the potential LESs for each ELAN. The LECSs try to connect to each LES and the results are logged. The operative LESs having the highest priority is chosen as the active LES whereby all LECs get assigned to the active LES. When the active LES fails the LECs attempt a new connection to LECs. The LECs assigns the LECs to another operative LES in the database list. All the LECs previously connected to the failed LES, are attached to the new LES assigned by the LECs and communications are reestablished with the new LES.

Abstract: A method of performing source routing when a node is in the overload state. A node in the overload state cannot perform routing functions in response to a SETUP message for destinations other than its directly connected neighbors. Instead, the node forwards the SETUP request to one of its directly connected neighbors. The neighboring node chosen must be able to support the overload routing feature, the link between the two nodes must be in the FULL state and the node chosen must not itself be in the overload state. The neighboring node chosen to calculate the source route receives a ROUTE REQUEST message encapsulating the information received from the source user. The neighboring node chosen then calculates the source route as if it was the node connected to the source user, i.e., the node in the overload state. The route, once calculated, is sent to the requesting node in the overload state.

Abstract: A method of permitting older networks based on E-IISP routing to operate in newer PNNI based networks. The invention combines the PNNI and E-IISP routing schemes and permits their simultaneous execution in the same ATM network. The E-IISP routing scheme is modified so as to operate in unison with the minimal PNNI implementation configured on each node. The Hello protocol and associated Finite State Machine (FSM) are utilized to determine whether a remote node is in the same peer group. If it is determined that both nodes are in the same peer group, the ports on either side of the link are configured as standard PNNI type ports. If it is determined that the two nodes are from different peer groups, the ports on either of the link are configured as E-IISP type ports. Foreign address information is then exchanged between the two nodes thus permitting border nodes to learn about other peer groups from their respective remote nodes.

Abstract: A method of determining an efficient route to a well known address that is particularly applicable to networks that do not have the capability of source routing for calculating routes to specific addresses such as ATM networks based on the IISP protocol. The well known address may represent any entity in the network that provides distributed services (e.g., network server applications) that are to be shared among many nodes and applications on the network, such as LECSs. The method of functions to automatically and dynamically register ‘well known’ addresses on the ports of each node that implements the invention. This permits applications on the network to route to the destination in the shortest possible path thus utilizing network resources in an efficient manner. If there is more than one location with the well known address, e.g., a redundant LECSs in the network, or more than one route to the location then the optimum location will be the one routed to.

Abstract: A caching method to greatly reduce the time to calculate routes based on the well known Dijkstra routing algorithm. A first embodiment is suitable for use in applications where only a single class of call is in use. A second embodiment is suitable for use where multiple classes of calls are is simultaneous use. A sequential number field and a global variable holding a sequential count are maintained by each node. When a node is put on the PATH list, the global sequential count variable is copied to the sequential number field for that particular node descriptor. Subsequently, when a route to destination node is to be calculated, for each node marked as a destination, the global sequential count variable and the node descriptor sequential number field are checked if they are equal. If they are, it means that a route has already been calculated to the destination which was already determined to be optimum.

Abstract: A method for performing topology database synchronization between two nodes wherein one of the nodes is in an overload state. The node in the overload state looks for a neighboring node directly connected to it that is not in the overload state. After such a node is found, the link to the neighboring node is intentionally dropped and subsequently re-established. This causes the neighboring node to transfer its entire knowledge of the network to the node in the overload state. The node in the overload state than functions to forward the topology database information to its other neighboring node. In this fashion, the portions of the network one either side of the link learn about the other side notwithstanding the fact that one of the nodes is in an overload state. Once the database synchronization process is complete, calls can then be initiated from either side of the network to the other side.

Abstract: Two solutions are provided for optimizing the algorithm used by the local node in calculating the route to a destination node. A first method optimizes the route calculation by associating a port/link information with the PTSEs received by the node. The association is made using the first PTSE to arrive from an originating node. The routing algorithm is then steered to begin routing to a destination using the associated port/link. A second method optimizes the route calculation by utilizing a special PTSE termed a ROUTE.sub.-- PTSE into which is placed the route the PTSE takes upon being flooded from the creating node to the local node. When routing, the local node traverses the DTL already existing in the ROUTE.sub.-- PTSE received from a particular originating node that is the current destination node.

Abstract: The routing paths are determined in a step-by-step nature. A Dijkstra algorithm is used and before labeling a link as a routing path, all possible routing paths which are within a predetermined range are compared. One of the paths in the range are chosen at random to be the routing path.

Abstract: A novel method of routing and performing autoconfiguration in an ATM network is disclosed. The method simplifies the configuration and routing for ATM networks having a relatively large number of nodes. Networks are constructed in hierarchical fashion in the form of branches and trees and assigned network address prefixes in accordance with their location in the network. Network nodes periodically exchange identification information permitting both switches on either side of a link to be aware of who they are connected to. Each node registers a network address and its associated significant length for each of its neighbors on each of its links. A node performs routing by comparing the destination address against each of its registered addresses for all its links. The routing method takes advantage of the network address prefix to ensure that the routing proceeds in the correct direction towards the destination and does not enter a tree or a branch that does not contain the destination.