Abstract: In a connection-oriented network, a source network node responds to a connection request from a source user by sending signaling messages to adjacent nodes to request reservation of multiple paths by specifying a QOS parameter of minimum level and then establishes to a destination node if the requests are accepted. The source network node selects one of the established paths and sends a second signaling message to the node of the selected path, requesting that the QOS parameter of the selected path be increased from the minimum level to a level specified by the connection request, and establishes a connection from the source user to a destination user via the selected path if the second signaling message is accepted by the node of the selected path.