Abstract: A system and method for the measurement of communication network performance over a secondary communication channel sends an inquiry signal containing information pertaining to network performance from a near end communication device to a far end communication device. From the inquiry signal the far end communication device can determine the number of packets of information lost through the network. Once received the inquiry signal, a reply signal with additional information is sent to the near end communication device. The near end communication device receives the reply signal and can determine therefrom various network performance parameters.

Abstract: A network congestion control system and method facilitate the transmission of information on a communication network by monitoring the data streams coming out of the communication network for congestion notifications, and actively rate controlling the end user application sessions based on such congestion notifications to alleviate the network congestion. This provides congestion control for the network and can be used to avoid congestion reaching the point where the network has to discard data. The end user sessions can be divided into mission critical sessions and non-mission critical sessions. These session types can be prioritized so that non-mission critical sessions are rate controlled during periods of congestion, while mission critical sessions remain unaffected. Mission critical sessions are effectively reserved a specific amount of bandwidth with the rest of the available bandwidth (up to the congestion point) being allocated dynamically to the non-mission critical sessions.

Abstract: A system and method for the measurement of communication network performance over a secondary communication channel sends an inquiry signal containing information pertaining to network performance from a near end communication device to a far end communication device. From the inquiry signal the far end communication device can determine the number of packets of information lost through the network. Once received the inquiry signal is modified by the far end communication device with additional information and sent as a reply signal to the near end communication device. The near end communication device receives the reply signal and can determine therefrom the network latency.

Abstract: Disclosed is an automatic configuration system and method for automatically configuring the time slots on a time division multiplexing connection line that is dedicated for frame relay service. Generally, the system and method described involve the determination of potential dedicated time slots configured at the central office for frame relay traffic. Next, a level of confidence is determined regarding the potential dedicated time slots. If the level of confidence is high, then the system attempts to establish a local management interface with the central office frame relay switch, service, or similar device over the potential dedicated time slots. Once the local management interface is established using the potential dedicated time slots, then these time slots are stored as the new configuration for frame relay traffic by the frame relay DSU.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for creating multiple logical channels across a single virtual circuit on a hybrid asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)/frame relay network and an ATM network. The logical channels include a single primary channel and multiple secondary channels. The secondary channels are created by the addition of a secondary channel flag and secondary header to the user information field of the data frames transmitted. Also, one of the secondary channels is designated as a diagnostic channel for conducting diagnostics across the virtual circuit. The diagnostic channel is reserved exclusively for diagnostic data traffic from an ATM digital service unit (DSU) to a frame relay DSU, or in the alternative, to a second ATM DSU.