Abstract: A computer readable storage medium includes a set of instructions executable by a processor. The instructions are operable to assign a unique identifier to each of a plurality of node subsets of a network, the node subsets being created by damage to the network; assign one or more of the identifiers to each of a plurality of components of the damaged network based on a connectivity to the one or more of the node subsets and corresponding identifiers of the node subsets; assign one or more of the identifiers to each of one or more node types of the plurality of components by assigning each of the node types all of the identifiers of any of the components of the node type; and evaluate a first connectivity between a first one of the components and a second one of the components by determining whether they share at least one of the identifiers.

Abstract: A wireless communication system using radio resources for transmission of backhaul data between one or more mobile stations and at least one network control node, a first backhaul transmission link (L_1) being used for transmission of backhaul data and at least one second backhaul transmission link (L_2) being used for transmission of backhaul data. The first backhaul transmission link (L_1) operates as a main backhaul transmission link and the second backhaul transmission link (L_2) operates as an auxiliary backhaul transmission link, and the second backhaul transmission link (L_2) uses at least a part of the radio resources for transmission of backhaul data when in operation.

Abstract: Various techniques for partitioning a computer network is disclosed herein. In certain embodiments, control plane functions (e.g., computation of network routes) and/or forwarding plane functions (e.g., routing, forwarding, switching) may be partitioned and performed individually on per domain basis based on (1) a network configuration of a particular domain (e.g., end points and/or lower-level domains in the particular domain); and (2) one or more higher-level domains connected to the particular domain in the hierarchy. Thus, a particular domain can manage various network operations of the domain without concerns regarding end points or network nodes in other domains of the hierarchy. Thus, network configuration and operation may be partitioned to reduce hardware costs and operational complexity even as the size of the overall computer networks increases.

Abstract: At least one embodiment takes the form of a process carried out by a first radio-network switching system (RNSS). The first RNSS maintains a talkgroup of mobile radios that includes a first mobile radio. The first RNSS receives an add-mobile-radio request from the first mobile radio and responsively sends an add-mobile-radio response to the first mobile radio. The add-mobile-radio response includes an add-mobile-radio authentication token. The first RNSS receives, from a second mobile radio, an add-mobile-radio authentication message that identifies the second mobile radio and that includes the add-mobile-radio authentication token. In response to receiving the add-mobile-radio authentication message from the second mobile radio, the first RNSS adds the identified second mobile radio to the talkgroup.

Abstract: In order to allow for a flexible network configuration and establish an alternative path without performing communication between optical branching units in the event of a failure on a path in an optical communication system to which a plurality of optical branching units are connected, the optical branching unit includes optical add-drop unit for outputting an input WDM signal to any of a plurality of paths on a per-wavelength basis, light wavelength detecting unit for detecting a wavelength of the input WDM signal, a wavelength database storing, on a per-wavelength basis, information about sections through which optical signals contained in the WDM signal pass, and control unit for changing a setting of the optical add-drop unit so that a path of an optical signal of a wavelength passing through a particular one of the sections bypasses the particular section when all wavelengths stored in the wavelength database are not detected in the particular section by the light wavelength detecting unit.

Abstract: A method for operating an automation device having a CPU module that is configured to effect read or write access to local peripherals that are each provided with two interface modules that are each wired up in ring form to an input/output controller, wherein peripheral access operations are executed via one of the rings or via both rings, and wherein a redundancy manager that is provided for each ring is used to logically interrupt the respective ring in a normal mode and to initiate ring reconfiguration for this ring in the event of a physical ring interruption so as to provide a basis for allowing peripheral access operations during the actual period of this ring reconfiguration.

Abstract: Each of MCLAG devices has a MCLAG table, a port control unit, and a relay processing unit. The MCLAG table retains one or a plurality of first ports in association with a first identifier. The port control unit controls a first port group to transmission/reception permitted state when the first port group is set to active, and controls the first port group to a transmission prohibited state when the first port group is set to standby. The relay processing unit relays a frame containing the first identifier as a destination port to the first port group when the first port group is controlled to the transmission/reception permitted state, and relays the same to a bridge port when the first port group is controlled to the transmission prohibited state.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and network node for controlling a plurality of flows of application data in a radio network. The plurality of flows and a cost measure associated with each flow is detected. The cost measure is an indication of an amount of radio resources required for supplying an amount of application data to an end-user of the flow. Further, key performance indicators associated with the plurality of flows are monitored. A key performance indicator is indicative of a supply of application data needed to maintain a satisfactory quality of experience for an application session associated with the flow. Further, scheduling decisions, to control scheduling of the plurality of flows, are made based on the cost measures and key performance indicators associated with the plurality of flows to optimize the quality of experience of the application sessions associated with the plurality of flows.

Abstract: System(s), apparatus(es), and method(s) are provided to for providing femtocell service through a secondary connection to a network gateway node that is part of a service provider network. The secondary connection can be established in response to at least one telecommunication performance condition of a primary connection to the network gateway node; the at least one performance condition includes connectivity state of the primary connection or quality of traffic delivery through the primary connection. The secondary connection can be established, in part, via a home gateway node that is alternative to a home gateway node associated with a femtocell access point (AP) that enables, in part, the femtocell wireless service. The main home gateway node or the femtocell AP can initiate establishment of the secondary connection. Home gateway node(s) or femtocell AP(s) that can provide femtocell service through the secondary connection can manage connectivity with the network gateway node.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and computer program products for handling an audio path failure and/or non-conformant QoS for a call between a contact center agent and remote party. Specifically, an audio path is established to a first telephony device being used by the agent and a call is bridged onto the audio path so that audio can be streamed back-and-forth between the first telephony device and a second telephony device being used by the party. Accordingly, various embodiments of the invention involve monitoring the audio path to detect an audio path failure and/or non-conformant QoS for the audio and bridging the call onto a second audio path when a failure or non-conformant QoS is detected so that the call is not disconnected from the second telephony device and a third device (e.g., IVR) can stream audio over the second audio path to the second telephony device.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is described which comprises receiving data relating to at least one connection from a network (410), deriving statistical information relating to the at least one connection (420), and causing disconnection of at least one of the at least one connection in dependence of the statistical information (430).

Abstract: Various embodiments are presented for bulk recovery or faults in a service oriented architecture system. The number of faults submitted for recovery is determined based on the capacity of the system. A linear programming model is used to determine the maximum recovery capacity of the system. The maximum recovery capacity is configured to be below the capacity of the system.

Abstract: An approach is provided for determining alternative paths. Information is stored specifying a set of available paths among network elements within a connection-oriented network. The available paths are sorted according to a predetermined criterion. The sorted paths are selectively filtered based on either a particular one of the network elements, a region associated with one or more of the network elements, or a combination thereof.

Abstract: A method is provided for a master apparatus of a Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) in a dual-homed node that is a part of a dual-homed network to implement a Layer 3 apparatus. The dual-homed network includes the dual-homed node and a Layer 2 MPLS-Transport Profile (MPLS-TP) network. The method includes monitoring a state of an uplink, when the monitoring detects that the uplink has a failure, notifying an original backup apparatus of the VRRP to perform a master-backup switch, and notifying a downlink apparatus of the master apparatus of the VRRP that a remote link has a failure, thereby causing the downlink apparatus to switch a working channel within the MPLS-TP network. The method includes, when a notification indicating that the master-backup switch has been performed is received from the original backup apparatus of the VRRP, switching to a backup apparatus of the VRRP.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a node receives a request to initiate a shadow joining operation to shadow join a field area router (FAR) of a computer network, and preserves its data structures and soft states. The shadow joining operation may then be initiated to shadow join the FAR, wherein shadow joining comprises preforming join operations without leaving a currently joined-FAR, and the node measures one or more joining metrics of the shadow joining operation, and reports them accordingly. In another embodiment, a FAR (or other management device) determines a set of nodes to participate in a shadow joining operation, and informs the set of nodes of the shadow joining operation to shadow join the FAR. The device (e.g., FAR) participates in the shadow joining operation, and receives reports of one or more joining metrics of the shadow joining operation measured by the set of nodes.

Abstract: An approach is provided for securely authenticating an identity of a user participating in an electronic transaction. A request is received from a mobile device to initiate the electronic transaction. Attributes of the user and request are received. A request is selected for a biometric identifier or a security question to authenticate the identity of the user. The request for the biometric identifier or security question is converted to a complete Quick Response (QR) code. Based on the user and request attributes, the complete QR code is disassembled into first and second portions by employing a disassembly algorithm. The first portion, but not the second portion, is sent to the mobile device, which prevents an entity other than the user and the enterprise from obtaining the request for the biometric identifier or security question by capturing network traffic that includes the electronic transaction.

Abstract: A client device includes one or more processors configured to receive, from a server device, forward-error corrected data via a plurality of parallel network paths, determine losses of the data over each of the network paths, and send data representing the losses of the data over each of the network paths to the server device. Additionally or alternatively, a client device includes one or more processors configured to receive a first set of encoding units for a first block, wherein the first set of encoding units includes fewer than a minimum number of encoding units needed to recover the first block, after receiving the first set of encoding units, receive a second set of encoding units for a second block, and after receiving the second set of encoding units, receive a third set of encoding units including one or more encoding units for the first block.

Abstract: Techniques are described for specifying and constructing multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) rings. Routers may signal membership within MPLS rings and automatically establish ring-based label switch paths (LSPs) as components of the MPLS rings for packet transport within ring networks. In one example, a router includes a processor configured to establish an MPLS ring having a plurality of ring LSPs. Each of the ring LSPs is configured to transport MPLS packets around the ring network to a different one of the routers operating as an egress router for the respective ring LSP. Moreover, each of the ring LSPs comprises a bidirectional, multipoint-to-point (MP2P) LSP for which any of the routers can operate as an ingress to source packet traffic into the ring LSP for transport to the respective egress router for the ring LSP. Separate protection paths, bypass LSPs, detours or loop-free alternatives need not be signaled.

Abstract: A control apparatus includes: a topology management unit that manages a network topology formed by including a plurality of relay apparatuses; a link aggregation group management unit that groups ports of the plurality of relay apparatuses, having a physical link with an arbitrary node of the network topology and manages the grouped ports as a port of a virtual logical link between the plurality of relay apparatuses and the arbitrary node; and a relay apparatus control unit that controls the plurality of relay apparatuses, having the grouped ports, so that, when one of the plurality of relay apparatuses receives a broadcast packet or a multicast packet, a plurality of same packet are not forwarded to the physical links that form the virtual logical link.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and user equipment for transmitting a physical uplink control channel. The method includes: in a carrier aggregation scenario, based on a predetermined rule, the transmission of the Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) is switched between a secondary component carrier and a primary component carrier, or the transmission of the PUCCH is only in the primary component carrier, which is selected by the user equipment (UE); and the UE transmitting the PUCCH in the selected component carrier. The present invention reduces the feedback time delay of uplink control information, and improves the utilization of uplink resources.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch comprises one or more ports and a link management module. The link management module operates a first aggregate link group as an active aggregate link group of a protected virtual link aggregation. This protected virtual link aggregation operates as a single logical channel. An aggregate link group comprises a plurality of logically aggregated links. The first aggregate link group, which represents the logical channel, comprises at least a first port of the one or more ports of the switch. The link management module also operates a second aggregate link group of the protected virtual link aggregation as a standby for the first aggregate link group. The second aggregate link group comprises at least a second port of the one or more ports of the switch. Forwarding is enabled via the first port and disabled via the second port.

Abstract: A method for virtualizing an optical network, comprising: abstracting optical resource information corresponding to resources within the optical network, constructing a plurality of candidate paths for one or more optical reachability graph (ORG) node pairs, determining whether the candidate paths are optical reachable paths, and creating an ORG link between each ORG node pair when at least one optical reachable path exists for the ORG node pair, wherein linking the ORG node pairs creates an ORG. In another embodiment, a computer program product comprising executable instructions when executed by a processor causes a node to perform the following: determine an optical network's optical-electrical-optical (OEO) conversion capability, partition a plurality of service sites into one or more electrical reachability graph (ERG) nodes, determine a grooming capability for each ERG node, and construct a plurality of electrical-layer reach paths between the ERG nodes to form an ERG.

Abstract: The described implementations relate to processing of electronic data. One implementation is manifest as a system that can include an event analysis component and one or more processing devices configured to execute the event analysis component. The event analysis component can be configured to obtain multiple events that are generated by network devices in a networking environment. The event analysis component can also be configured to identify impactful events from the multiple events. The impactful events can have associated device-level or link-level impacts. The event analysis component can also be configured to determine one or more failure metrics for an individual impactful event. The one or more failure metrics can include at least a first redundancy-related failure metric associated with redundant failovers in the networking environment.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus for forwarding data in a data communications network having as components nodes and links therebetween comprises a network interface configured to couple to a data communications network having as components nodes and links therebetween; first logic which when executed is operable to receive a repair address; second logic which when executed is operable to compute a repair path from a repairing node to the repair address around a failure component on a primary forwarding path between the apparatus and a repairing node; and third logic which when executed is operable to propagate the repair address along a label switched path (LSP), comprising the repair path, to the repairing node. The apparatus offers improved efficiency in computing a repair path in a network around a failed component because unnecessary computations are not performed with the disclosed apparatus and approach.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a plurality of communication paths in a second direction in a communication network is determined, based on reversing communication paths established in a first direction in the communication network. Then, a path quality of the communication paths in the second direction is monitored. Based on the monitored path quality, it is then determined whether the communication paths in the second direction satisfy a communication requirement. Finally, a particular communication path of unacceptable quality in the second direction is detected when the particular communication path in the second direction fails to satisfy the communication requirement.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system and apparatus to help manage UE context records. When a network controller detects that it is at or approaching a context record storage limit, such as might be imposed by license agreement for instance, the network controller offload one or more of its stored UE context records to another network controller to be stored temporarily by the other network controller until needed, even though the other network controller is not serving the UE(s) at issue.

Abstract: In one embodiment, methods and systems for port pooling are described. An interface may communicate with at least one physical server. The at least one physical server may host a plurality of virtual servers and be connectable via a plurality of gateway ports to a storage area network (SAN). A virtual server manager configured to arrange the plurality of gateway ports in a plurality of port pools, define a virtual server group including a plurality of virtual servers, associate each virtual server with one or more port pools, the one or more port pools defining available gateway ports for access by the particular virtual server; and provide configuration instructions to allow the particular virtual server to communicate with the SAN through the available gateway ports.

Abstract: Techniques are presented herein for optimizing traffic routing in overlay networks. At a first edge device located at a first site in a network, a message is received that indicates address information of a network device. The address information of the network device is stored in an address table. The address information is associated with a site identifier that identifies a second site at which the network device is located. The site identifier is mapped to an identifier associated with a second edge device that is responsible for routing traffic to network devices at the second site.

Abstract: In response to receiving one or more packets from an interface, an anchoring border router classifies the traffic flow and either transmits the packets based upon the routing control table as usual, or determines that the packets of the traffic flow are to be forwarded to a forwarding border router. Upon determining that the packets are to be forwarded, the packets are encapsulated with a routing encapsulation key corresponding to a routing path and are forwarded from the anchoring border router to the forwarding border router via a routing encapsulation tunnel. When a forwarding border router receives the redirected packets over the routing encapsulation tunnel, the forwarding border router removes the routing encapsulation key from the packets of the traffic flow and transmits the packets via a routing path corresponding to the routing encapsulation key.

Abstract: A network node for providing ingress fault protection. The network node may be along a primary label switched path (LSP) and may be configured to receive an ingress protection request message that identifies one or more other network nodes along the primary LSP. The network node may generate a forwarding table that comprises one or more forwarding entries for the other network nodes along the primary LSP and one or more forwarding entries for the other network nodes along a backup LSP. In typical operation, the network node may receive data traffic from a first source path within a label switched network and may send the data traffic using the primary LSP. When an ingress node fault in the first source path is present, the network node may receive data traffic from a second source path and may send the data traffic using the backup LSP.

Abstract: A method of displaying fault tolerant Ethernet (FTE) cable status in a process control system having FTE devices in an Enhanced Universal Control Network (EUCN) including an Enhanced Network Interface Module (ENIM) on a UCN status display. Updated FTE cable status is obtained from each of the FTE devices during operation of the process control system. The updated FTE cable status from each of the FTE devices is stored in a memory. A UCN cable status word (CSW) including cable status bits allocated for representing the updated FTE cable status is compiled for each of the FTE devices, wherein locations for the cable status bits in the UCN CSW are used by the UCN status display to show changes in cable status. The UCN CSWs are read at a node having the UCN status display, and the updated FTE cable status is displayed on the UCN status display.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a particular node in a computer network, that is, one receiving electrical power from a grid source, may determine routing metrics to a plurality of neighbor nodes of the particular node in the computer network. In addition, the node also determines power grid connectivity of the plurality of neighbor nodes. Traffic may be routed from the particular node to one or more select neighbor nodes having preferred routing metrics, until a power outage condition at the particular node is detected, at which time the traffic (e.g., last gasp messages) may be routed from the particular node to one or more select neighbor nodes having diverse power grid connectivity from the particular node. In this manner, traffic may be routed via a device that is not also experiencing the power outage condition.

Abstract: A wireless peer-to-peer protocol that supports fast and low power joining to an existing group. The protocol may be an extension of a peer-to-peer protocol that supports a sleep state for a device controlling the group. When a device is seeking to join a group at a time when the controlling device is in a sleep state, another device that has information about the controlling device may provide information to the joining device that may then be used by the joining device to more quickly, and using less power, synchronize with the controlling device. The information may include information about a channel used by the controlling device or about timing of availability of the controlling device. The information may also reveal whether the group provides a service being sought by the joining device or may otherwise influence whether the joining device will attempt to join a group.

Abstract: In one form of invention a process of operating a host computer coupled to a communications network including: determining whether a diversity flag is set, when a communications connection is requested; sending a request from the host computer to a proxy identification list server in a communications network for proxy pair identification information, when the diversity flag is set; receiving in the host computer the proxy pair identification information from the proxy identification list server in response to the host request; and wherein the sending includes communicating from the host computer to a destination computer though a first communication path that includes a first proxy device and though a second communication path, separate from the first communication path, that includes the second proxy device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for partial failure handling of bearer mapping in dual connectivity are provided. One method includes, during a secondary evolved node B (SeNB) addition procedure, providing a target SeNB with an indication of SeNB change together with information on bearers that were served by a source SeNB. The method may further include receiving, by a master evolved node B (MeNB), bearer mapping for failed bearers from the target SeNB, and providing the source SeNB with the bearer mapping for the failed bearers.

Abstract: A method of operation of a call center system includes: providing an operator console having a first interface port and a second interface port; communicating with a local controller, having a primary interface port and a secondary interface port, by the operator console; establishing a redundant communication mode between the operator console and the local controller; and transmitting redundant messages between the operator console and the local controller including transmitting transmission headers having identical content on the first interface port and the second interface port.

Abstract: A device having circuit bundles and a method of configuring the network device to provide resiliency and protection for network circuits. A circuit bundle provides the ability to group multiple circuits of the same type for resiliency/protection. There is an active virtual circuit that is selected based on a user configured priority value defining priority for carrying circuit traffic. When the active virtual circuit fails, alternative virtual circuits are selected to carry the circuit traffic, again based on user configured priority. Virtual circuits included in the circuit bundle can have different destinations, and include at least multipoint virtual circuits.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, operating a mobile station in a wireless network system comprising a plurality of base stations allocated in N channels. A Data packet is transmitted at a time interval p to a first base station of the wireless network system to which the mobile station is currently connected. Each of a plurality of partial scan sections is performed at the interval of every M data packets to monitor messages from the base stations of the N channels.

Abstract: A transponder among a plurality of transponders that are connected with a client device via a plurality of optical couplers, the transponder includes a protection timer configured to be activated when an alarm indication signal transmitted from the client device is received, and a controller configured to control transmission of an optical signal to one of the plurality of optical couplers when the protection timer times out, wherein a timeout value of the protection timer is set to a value different from a timeout value of a protection timer included in another transponder.

Abstract: A network comprises a communication device having network communication interfaces and a data processing node having network communication ports. The communication device includes a first and a second interface communicatively coupled to a first and a second port of the data processing node respectively. The first interface is selected as a primary interface for the transmission of network traffic to destinations across the network. The second interface is selected as a backup interface which is to be selected for the transmission of the network traffic in the case of a need to failover to the backup interface. Network traffic from the communication device is transmitted via the first interface while the first interface is selected as the primary interface. At least one data message is transmitted from the communication device via the second interface, while the first interface is selected as the primary interface.

Abstract: According to an example, in a method and apparatus for notifying a LSP, the downstream LSR detecting the link failure on the work LSP sends a SF message on the direction of the work LSP, so that the upstream LSR detecting the link failure on the work LSP receives the SF message and sends the packet via the protection LSP according to the SF message.

Abstract: A method for providing ingress fault protection in a label switched network, comprising sending data traffic from a source node to a first label switched path (LSP) via a first ingress node, detecting a first fault using a first fault detection link between the source node and the first ingress node, sending the data traffic from the source node to a second LSP via a second ingress node in response to detecting the first fault, detecting a second fault using a second fault detection link between the first ingress node and the second ingress node, and merging the data traffic from the second LSP into the first LSP at a next-hop node of the first ingress node, wherein the data traffic is no longer sent to the first LSP via the first ingress node after the first fault.

Abstract: A method implemented by a network topology design system, the network topology design system including a processing device. The method to determine placement of a controller within a network with a split architecture where control plane components of the split architecture network are executed by a controller and the control plane components are separate from data plane components of the split architecture network. The placement of the controller is selected to minimize disruption of the split architecture network caused by a link failure, a switch failure or a connectivity loss between the controller and the data plane components.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the communication field and discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for processing device faults, which are used to recover the device fault in a timely manner and improve user's service experience. The processing method includes: receiving a connection deletion request message sent by a network device in the case of a fault, where the connection deletion request message includes a global packet data network connection identifier FQ-CSID; locally deleting a packet data network PDN connection related to the FQ-CSID, or retaining a PDN connection related to the FQ-CSID and receiving downlink data corresponding to the PDN connection; and performing a network-triggered service recovery procedure. The solutions provided in the present invention are applicable to device fault recovery scenarios.

Abstract: Novel tools and techniques that enable remote network monitoring, and in particular cases, remote monitoring of traffic on a L2VPN. In a particular aspect, tools enable a vendor-independent remote monitoring capability by allowing a port on to be spanned (mirrored) to a virtual local area network attachment circuit at two different provider edge devices. Such embodiments can allow test equipment located at one provider edge device to perform monitoring at another provider edge device without regard to conflicting monitoring protocols, interfaces, and/or the like.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for locating a network fault are provided in the illustrative embodiments. A set of network probes is configured to execute at a corresponding set of networking components in a data network. A set of events is received. An event in the set of events includes a list of network probes in an order those network probes are visited, the list of network probes forming a path in a set of paths. A test is performed to determine whether a fault condition is present in any of the paths. Those paths are selected, as a set of candidate paths, where the fault condition is present. At least one segment of a specified length is located that is common to a threshold number of paths in the set of candidate paths. The located segment is suggested as the location of the network fault.

Abstract: Drop port based shared risk link group (SRLG) systems and methods assign SRLG information to drop ports in another level or layer of a network. Thus, drop side SRLG information can be shared between different networks or layers enabling a combination with line side SRLG information within a network to identify and prevent single points of failure across the networks. Typically, SRLG details are assigned to line ports (NNI ports) within a network and this information is not shared with external networks or network layers for routing a connection through the network and the external networks. By assigning SRLG details to a drop port, this information can be relayed between the network and the external networks and considered when planning a route through all of the networks.

Abstract: An operator sets a path demand to be accommodated, and sets information of a device candidate, the number of ports, a path route and the like, which are demanded for a network, in an objective function that indicates a total cost when the path demand to be accommodated is newly included in the network. A mathematical programming problem for minimizing the objective function under a constraint condition derived from a configuration of the network is set, and a solution is obtained by using a solver for solving the mathematical programming problem. A device is added or the like to the network based on the obtained solution, and the demanded path is added to the network.

Abstract: At least two different redundancy protocols are operated in parallel by network devices in an Ethernet network. Control is determined and assigned to one of two protocols to have total control over which ports in the network devices are active and which are blocked for transmission of user data and network data network traffic while allowing all control and monitor traffic to traverse the ring of network devices. Control and monitoring packets are transmitted by RSTP packets through all of the network devices in the ring while restricting the data ports of the network devices to transmit user data and data network traffic to the network devices connected in the line of the network devices. Parameters received in RSTP packets are collected from all of the network devices in the ring in order to determine which network device of the network devices is a virtual root bridge.

Abstract: In a network in which a plurality of protection paths have been formed for one working path between a first node and a second node, each node determines preference levels corresponding to an order to be preferentially used when performing protection switching on the plurality of protection paths. Next, each node exchanges pieces of information about the preference levels determined for the plurality of protection paths.