Abstract: Flow in a data network is policed by determining a measure of greediness of a flow through a node, comparing the measure of greediness with a measure indicative of acceptable greediness dependent on the expected greediness of a compliant flow experiencing substantially similar path conditions, and designating the flow for possible sanction in the event that the greediness is not in accordance with the acceptable greediness. Such allows for the policing of a data network when one or more fields in a data packet that carry information relating to a characterization of an end-to-end path and/or a downstream path of the data packet are used in order to police the data network.

Abstract: A processing node for processing data items in a data network, comprising means for receiving data items, means for receiving characterization metrics associated with the data items and identifying characteristic values in respect thereof, and a process selection means, said process selection means comprising means for deriving a collective value from characteristic values associated with a plurality of the data items, means for comparing characteristic values associated with a plurality of the data items with a predetermined target value, means for subjecting data items in respect of which the characteristic values are on a first side of the predetermined target value to a first process, means for selecting at least some of the data items in respect of which the characteristic values are on a second side of the predetermined target value, and means for subjecting the selected data items to a second process which is different from the first process.

Abstract: The invention provides a coordination layer of coordinating entities provided intermediate the admission control interfaces of the transport network domains, and any QoS signaller which signals QoS requests on behalf of the application layer. The coordination layer acts to distribute an admission control request across the multiple transport network domains by the use of coordination request messages containing the admission control request being forwarded through the coordination layer of coordinating entities. At each coordinating entity the admission control request is passed on to the admission control interface of the transport network which the coordinating entity serves, and an admission control response obtained. This admission control response is then combined with admission control responses from the other domains which are propagated through the coordination layer via coordination messages.

Abstract: Methods and systems for assigning information indicative of a network characteristic to one of a plurality of data units traversing a path across a network, said data units having associated therewith values indicative of said network characteristic, said path having at least one portion passing through a lower-capability region and at least one portion passing through a higher-capability region, said lower-capability region being a region in which information indicative of said network characteristic may be represented by values having a first resolution, and said higher-capability region being a region in which information indicative of said network characteristic may be represented by values having a second resolution, said second resolution being greater than said first resolution, said one data unit being a data unit entering said higher-capability region.

Abstract: The invention provides a coordination layer of coordinating entities provided intermediate the admission control interfaces of the transport network domains, and any QoS signaller which signals QoS requests on behalf of the application layer. The coordination layer acts to distribute an admission control request across the multiple transport network domains by the use of coordination request messages containing the admission control request being forwarded through the coordination layer of coordinating entities. At each coordinating entity the admission control request is passed on to the admission control interface of the transport network which the coordinating entity serves, and an admission control response obtained. This admission control response is then combined with admission control responses from the other domains which are propagated through the coordination layer via coordination messages.

Abstract: In a communications network, use of network resources is measured locally at customer terminals, for example by counting the number of packets sent and received. The resulting data may be aggregated and sent to a network accounting object. Accounting data may subsequently be passed between network subdomains.

Abstract: An announcement thread addressing format which comprises a first sub-part concatenated with a second sub-part is described. The first sub-part is preferably the address of the party which generates the addressing identifier, whereas the second sub-part may be random data. An announcer apparatus may then use these address formats by including only those parts of an announcement thread address which render the address unique within the particular index message in which it is to be included, but not necessarily globally unique.

Abstract: Methods and systems for determining a correction factor for use in monitoring network traffic, said network traffic comprising a plurality of flows of data units, each flow having associated therewith a flow identifier, said data units having associated therewith a path characterisation metric; the method comprising the steps of: selecting a subset of flow identifiers from the overall set of flow identifiers; determining, in respect of flows having associated therewith flow identifiers from said selected subset of flow identifiers, which flows if any are persistently irregular flows; determining a first measure of the total of the accumulated path characterisation metrics associated with data units of said selected subset of flows; determining a second measure indicative of the proportion of said total measure contributed by said persistently irregular flows; and determining a correction factor in dependence on the first and second measures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system wherein congestion information is taken from a lower level in the protocol stack and used for congestion marking in a higher layer. In particular, the method and system of the invention from a first aspect provide for congestion information in the lower layer to be generated downstream at a congested node, and to be fed back upstream to a source node. The source node then passes the congestion information, or information derived therefrom, up to the corresponding network element responsible for higher layer functions in the protocol stack, where higher level congestion marking can then be performed in dependence on the received lower level congestion information. Thus, congestion information from the lower layer which can typically be generated earlier before significant congestion occurs can be used in higher layer congestion control functions. Preferably the lower layer is the data link layer, and the higher layer is the network layer.

Abstract: A network channel is used as a waiting channel, wherein members of a group other than a first member join the waiting channel while performing an action or process, and then leave the waiting channel once the action or process has been performed. Once all of the members have left the waiting channel the first member of the group then performs an action or process. In order to indicate to the first member that all of the other members have left the waiting channel, a protocol such as the Multicast Source Notification of Interest Protocol (MSNIP) may be used.

Abstract: In a communications network, which may be a federated network such as the Internet, a tariff is distributed via the network to customer terminals. At each terminal a charge for use of the network is calculated by using the tariff. Different tariffs may be communicated for different services and a respective tariff may be varied depending upon the operational condition of the service. Different tariffs may be calculated for different customers and the tariffs may be varied in dependence upon the loading of network resources and different tariffs may have different volatilities. Part of the traffic from a user to the network may be sampled and the status of the user may be amended when a discrepancy is detected between the sampled parameters and the contracted parameters in the users contract.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for encoding a number of small dynamic values over an n-bit field. Also methods and apparatus allowing for the stateless extraction of separate sequences from repetitions of a single field whereby to communicate more than one signal at once.

Abstract: A network includes a server and a number of clients, which will in operation of the network require authentication by the server. The server distributes authentication information to other clients when a session is initialized. When the server needs to authenticate a client, it hands out a server request to the client which asks client for authentication information which it must obtain from other clients. The client to be authenticated then sends these requests to the clients specified in the authentication request to obtain the authentication information from those clients. Once the client to be authenticated has received the relevant authentication information from the other clients it returns it to the server and is authenticated or not accordingly.

Abstract: The invention relates to data networks, to nodes making up parts of data networks, and to information relating to the characterisation of paths taken by data travelling between nodes in the networks. Path characterisation information is arranged to be conveyed to nodes such that it may be used by nodes subsequently forwarding data. In particular the invention relates to nodes receiving such path characterisation information from upstream nodes, deriving therefrom information indicative of characteristics of a path downstream of said nodes, and using such information to make informed decisions such as routing decisions when forwarding data onward in data networks.

Abstract: In a communications network, loading of network resources is detected locally at a customer terminal, and a tariff for network usage is varied automatically depending on the usage.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for policing flow in a data network by determining a measure of greediness of a flow through a node, comparing said measure of greediness with a measure indicative of acceptable greediness dependent on the expected greediness of a compliant flow experiencing substantially similar path conditions, and designating the flow for possible sanction in the event that the greediness is not in accordance with said acceptable greediness. Such methods and apparatus allow for the policing of a data network wherein one or more fields in a data packet that carry information relating to a characterisation of an end-to-end path and/or a downstream path of said data packet are used in order to police said data network.

Abstract: In a communications network, which may be a federated network such as the Internet, a tariff is distributed via the network to customer terminals. At each terminal a charge for use of the network is calculated by using the tariff. Different tariffs may be communicated for different services and a respective tariff may be varied depending upon the operational condition of the service. Different tariffs may be calculated for different customers and the tariffs may be varied in dependence upon the loading of network resources and different tariffs may have different volatilities. Part of the traffic from a user to the network may be sampled and the status of the user may be amended when a discrepancy is detected between the sampled parameters and the contracted parameters in the users contract.

Abstract: In a data communications system a remote data source outputs data as a series of application data units (ADUs). Each ADU is individually encrypted with a different key. The keys are transmitted (for example using Internet multicasting) via a communications network to one or more customer terminals. At the terminals a sequence of keys is generated for use in decrypting the ADUs. A record is kept of the keys generated, and this record may subsequently be used to generate a receipt for the data received by the customer. The keys may be generated, and the record stored within a secure module such as a smartcard.

Abstract: In a data communications system a remote data source outputs data as a series of application data units (ADUs). Each ADU is individually encrypted with a different key. The keys are transmitted (for example using Internet multicasting) via a communications network to one or more customer terminals. At the terminals a sequence of keys is generated for use in decrypting the ADUs. A record is kept of the keys generated, and this record may subsequently be used to generate a receipt for the data received by the customer. The keys may be generated, and the record stored within a secure module such as a smartcard.

Abstract: A network includes a server 1 and a number of clients 2, which will in operation of the network require authentication by the server 1. The server 1 distributes authentication information to other clients 3 when a session is initialised. When the server 1 needs to authenticate a client 2, it hands out a server request to the client 2 which asks client 2 for authentication information which it must obtain from other clients 3. The client to be authenticated 2 then sends these requests to the clients 3 specified in the authentication request to obtain the authentication information from those clients. Once the client to be authenticated 2 has received the relevant authentication information from the other clients 3, it returns it to the server 1 and is authenticated or not accordingly.