Abstract: Certain examples are described relating to resource allocation for one or more digital signal processors in a media gateway. Processing of telecommunication calls are allocated to different digital signal processor cores in the media gateway. When more processing resources are required for a call, a determination is made as to whether any of a set of digital signal processor cores are able to provide these resources. Responsive to a particular digital signal processor core being unable to provide the further processing resources, a reallocation process is initiated. This may involve reserving resources on a further digital processor core, releasing the original set of processing resources and allocating the processing of the call to the further digital processor core.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods for providing a non-registering endpoint with non-registration services (such as the ability to make a call) in an IMS network without requiring the non-registering endpoint to register. A request for a non-registration service is received and processed by an entity in the IMS network that is configured to handle such requests. The entity requires information about the non-registering endpoint itself before it can process the request. Since the non-registering endpoint is part of the network, a Home Subscriber Server (HSS) knows some information about the non-registering endpoint, but can only provide this information to the entity if the non-registering endpoint is registered or being registered by the entity. Consequently, in embodiments, the entity makes it look like the non-registering endpoint is registering, in order for the entity to obtain the information from the HSS.

Abstract: A machine-implemented method for controlling transfer of at least one data item from a data cache component, in communication with storage using at least one relatively higher-latency path and at least one relatively lower-latency path, comprises: receiving metadata defining at least a first characteristic of data selected for inspection; responsive to the metadata, seeking a match between said at least first characteristic and a second characteristic of at least one of a plurality of data items in the data cache component; selecting said at least one of the plurality of data items where the at least one of the plurality of data items has the second characteristic matching the first characteristic; and passing the selected one of the plurality of data items from the data cache component using the relatively lower-latency path.

Abstract: At least some incoming traffic is distributed into a first set of traffic groups according to a first grouping scheme. Communication activity from a potentially malicious source may be grouped in a given traffic group in which communication activity from an acceptable source is also grouped. Potentially malicious communication activity is detected in the given traffic group. Traffic in the given traffic group is processed using a first traffic processing mode associated with potentially malicious communication activity, in which at least some traffic that is distributed into the given traffic group is discarded. In response to a dynamic trigger the grouping scheme is altered to one or more further grouping schemes in order that the communication activity from the acceptable source is likely to be subsequently grouped into a traffic group which is different to a group into which the communication activity from the potentially malicious source is subsequently grouped.

Abstract: Measures for use in processing communication sessions in a telecommunications network are provided. Each communication session has a signaling path spanning a plurality of devices including one or more intermediate network devices and at least two endpoint devices, the signaling path comprising a plurality of signaling segments, each segment being between two devices in the plurality of devices. A first signaling message, comprising a first identifier associated with the communication session, is received via a first signaling segment for a communication session. At least part of the first identifier is transformed using a deterministic encryption algorithm to generate a second identifier. A second signaling message, comprising the second identifier, is transmitted via a second signaling segment for the communication session to associate the second identifier with the communication session.

Abstract: A method of routing a call involving a call party in a telecommunications network via a selected media routing path of a plurality of different media routing paths is provided. The media routing paths communicate media data to and/or from at least one communication device associated with the call party. A call control system in the telecommunications network receives data derived from a media quality test procedure for a given media routing path. The media quality test procedure includes media test data being communicated via the given media routing path and the media test data being analysed. The call control system selects a preferred media routing path from the plurality of media routing paths for communicating media data associated with the call to and/or from one or more of the at least one communication devices associated with the call party on the basis of at least the received data.

Abstract: Measures for enabling media bypass of one or more session border controllers (SBCs) in a telecommunications network which includes a plurality of SBCs. An SBC receives an inbound offer message requesting setup of a media session between an originating endpoint device and a terminating endpoint device. The SBC transmits an outbound offer message to an ensuing SBC, wherein the originating endpoint device address comprised in the inbound offer message is re-written with an SBC address in the outbound offer message. The SBC receives an inbound answer message including a terminating endpoint device address. In response to receipt of the inbound answer message, the SBC transmits an outbound answer message to the originating endpoint device without re-writing the terminating endpoint device address, whereby the SBC and the ensuing SBC are bypassed in the media path for the media session.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer program products for processing signaling information for telephone call attempts in a packet-based telephony service. An overload protection node is introduced to protect a signaling node from an overload of signaling information for telephone call attempts. A characteristic of signaling information for telephone call attempts in the packet-based telephony service is monitored by the overload protection node and on the basis of the monitored characteristic, the overload protection node processes signaling information for telephone call attempts according to one of a number of different modes of operation. A mode of operation may involve transmitting signaling information for a call attempt to the signaling node or selecting one or more call attempts at the overload protection node for the purpose of reducing overload in the signaling node.

Abstract: A method of controlling a communication session is provided. The communication session is established in a telecommunications network between a first communication client of a plurality of communication clients on one or more communication devices associated with a first party and a communication device associated with a second party, the established communication session comprising at least a first communication session leg established between the first communication client and an intermediate node in the telecommunications network. The method includes detecting a loss in connectivity associated with the first communication session leg, and in response to detecting the loss in connectivity, initiating set up of a second communication session leg between an intermediate node in the telecommunications network and at least a second communication client of the plurality of communication clients on one or more communication devices associated with the first party.

Abstract: At a migration server separate from a first server, a plurality of incoming internet protocol, IP, packets directed at an IP address associated with an IP service are received. On the basis of one or more source characteristics associated with IP packets in the plurality, it is determined that a first subset of packets in the plurality originated from one or more client devices which have not been migrated to a second server and that a second subset in the plurality originated from one or more client devices which have been migrated to the second server. IP packets determined to be in the first subset are forwarded to a first physical address associated with the first server for processing at the first server. IP packets determined to be in the second subset are processed at the second server.

Abstract: At a network node separate from a subscriber configuration network node configured to store subscriber configuration data for a plurality of subscriber devices, a request to access configuration data associated with a subscriber stored at the subscriber configuration network node is received. In response to the received access request comprising a private user identity for the subscriber, but not a public user identity for the subscriber, the network node retrieves, from a user identity database configured to store user identity data for identifying subscribers in the network, a public user identity for the subscriber, the retrieval being carried out on the basis of the private user identity for the subscriber comprised in the received access request, and transmits an authorization request to the subscriber configuration network node comprising the public user identity retrieved from the user identity database and the private user identity comprised in the received access request.

Abstract: Measures for transferring an established communication session in a telecommunications network, the communication session being established between one of a plurality of communication clients associated with a user and a remote device associated with a remote party. At a call control system located in the signaling path for the established communication session, a communication session transfer request is received from a device associated with the user, the communication session transfer request having been generated by and transmitted from the device. Transfer of the established communication session from the one communication client in the plurality of communication clients to another communication client in the plurality of communication clients is initiated at the call control system. The transfer is conducted on the basis of a preconfigured data set, specific to the user, identifying one or more of the plurality of communication clients associated with the user.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a first network node in a cluster of network nodes, a communication session setup request requesting setup of a communication session with a subscriber device in a plurality of subscriber devices is received. In response to receipt of the communication session setup request, registration data relating to the subscriber device is retrieved from a shared registration data store. The communication session setup request is routed according to the retrieved registration data. The retrieved registration data relating to the subscriber device was previously stored in the shared registration data store by a second network node in the cluster of network nodes in relation to a registration procedure conducted for the subscriber device by the second network node, the second network node being a different network node to the first network node in the cluster of network nodes.

Abstract: Measures for moving an established communication session in a telecommunications network, the communication session being established between a first device in a plurality of user devices associated with a user and a remote user device associated with a remote party, to a second device in the plurality of user devices associated with the user. At the second user device, a message is received from the first user device indicating that a communication session has been established between the first user device and the remote user device, the message comprising contact information for the remote user device. The second user device transmits, to the remote user device using the contact information comprised in the message, a request to replace the communication session established between the first user device and the remote user device with a communication session between the second user device and the remote user device.

Abstract: In a telecommunications network including at least a user device and a network node separated by at least a packet-switched part of the telecommunications network, the user device including a primary jitter buffer having a constant packet play-out rate, the network node including a secondary jitter buffer, incoming packets destined for the user device are received and passed through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device. The departure times of packets passing through the secondary jitter buffer of the network node downstream towards the primary jitter buffer of the user device are monitored. On the basis of the monitoring and one or more known characteristics of the primary jitter buffer, an estimate of a current state of the primary jitter buffer is maintained. Operation of the secondary jitter buffer is dynamically controlled according to the maintained estimate.

Abstract: A finite state machine is provided. The finite state machine causes a function to be carried out in dependence on at least an event input to the finite state machine and the current state of the finite state machine. Associations between the functions that are to be carried out and combinations of the states and the events are identified using an associative array. The associations identified using the associative array are amended while the finite state machine is operating to dynamically reconfigure the operation of the finite state machine.

Abstract: Measures for processing data in a telecommunications network. At a cache, a subscriber configuration data request requesting subscriber configuration data for a subscriber device is received from a network node in a cluster of network nodes. In response to receipt of the subscriber configuration data request, it is determined that a shared cache store does not contain subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device. In response to the determination, subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device is retrieved from a subscriber configuration network node. The subscriber configuration data for the subscriber device retrieved from the subscriber configuration network node is transmitted to the network node.

Abstract: Measures for establishing connectivity in a data center network are provided. A virtual connection is created between a virtual system hosted on a server in a data center network, and a packet forwarding function in that server. Additionally, an entry is populated in a packet forwarding data store in the server, which includes an internet protocol (IP) address of the virtual system and an associated identifier for the created virtual connection. The packet forwarding data store is accessed by the packet forwarding function when making forwarding decisions for received data packets.

Abstract: A controller node receives a list of a first plurality of flows programmed on a network switch. The controller node extracts a flow cookie value from a flow cookie data field of each flow in the first plurality of flows on the received list and calculates a session identifier on the basis of the extracted cookie values. At least one add flow command is transmitted from the controller node to the network switch to program a second plurality of flows on the network switch. The at least one add flow command comprises flow cookie values in the flow cookie data fields of each of the flows in the second plurality of flows which are set equal to the calculated session identifier. At least one delete flow command is transmitted from the controller node to the network switch to delete programming of the first plurality of flows on the network switch.

Abstract: Measures for use in generating path configuration data for an optical network. A least cost path calculation process is performed on a network graph representation of the optical network to generate path configuration data for the optical network. Performing the least cost path calculation process comprises performing a network graph expansion process on the network graph representation of the optical network to obtain an expanded network graph representation of the optical network. Performing the network graph expansion process comprises determining data identifying the possible expansion paths to each optical node, the cost of each path and the available wavelengths for each path, grouping together wavelength and path data for paths of equal cost, and at one or more nodes, identifying a subset of one or more wavelengths and performing a wavelength pruning operation.