Abstract: A distributed system having improved management characteristics. A management entity is coupled to a plurality of hub nodes in the distributed network. The hub nodes are each associated with a plurality of integrated access devices (IADs). The hub node proxies each of the associated IADs such that from the management entity point of view, the hub node and associated IADs appear to be a single network element. Management requests for the IAD are then handled in the hub node transparently to the management entity.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed to minimize wasted bandwidth by suppressing communications between a trunking gateway and a media gateway until a telephone service-related signal is detected during an on-hook state. In an embodiment, the trunking gateway and the media gateway are part of a telecommunications network that utilizes a single fabric for both voice traffic and data traffic. For example, the network could transport all traffic via Internet Protocol packets.

Abstract: A cover is described that includes an opening for the cover to receive a latch of a pluggable device to secure the pluggable device in the cover. The cover includes a retaining latch for the cover to hold the cover within an opening of a device. The cover, when inserted into the opening of the device, provides dust protection for the opening of the device and a parking location for the pluggable device. A method is also described for parking a fiber optic connector in a cover and latching the cover into a cage of a communications device.

Abstract: A request to view statistic data of a system is received. One or more forms are generated to carry the statistic data. The one or more forms are to carry the statistic data pulled from the system. Based on data fields on the one or more forms, the requested statistic data is pulled from the system. The one or more forms are filled with the pulled requested statistic data. The pulled requested statistic data on the one or more forms is converted to a generalized markup language (GML) format.

Abstract: A method of preventing ARP broadcast flooding of subscriber access links where an ARP packet is received at a subscriber network edge device and the source and destination information contained within the ARP packet is compared to address lease information for subscribers of a subscriber network. If the destination information obtained from the ARP packet is not associated with an address lease assigned to one of the subscribers, the network device only broadcasts the ARP packet to network uplinks. The method further includes preventing subscribers of a subscriber network from spoofing ARP responses by responding to an ARP request packet with an ARP response packet containing false information. The ARP response packet information is compared to address lease information for the transmitting subscriber. If the source information obtained from the ARP response packet corresponds to address lease information of the transmitting subscriber the ARP response packet is accordingly forwarded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for receiving data from a network subscriber, wherein the data conforms to multiple protocols, converting the data into packets that conform to a single protocol of a single layer of the Open System Interconnection Model, and propagating the packets across a network.

Abstract: A method of preventing ARP broadcast flooding of subscriber access links where an ARP packet is received at a subscriber network edge device and the source and destination information contained within the ARP packet is compared to address lease information for subscribers of a subscriber network. If the destination information obtained from the ARP packet is not associated with an address lease assigned to one of the subscribers, the network device only broadcasts the ARP packet to network uplinks. The method further includes preventing subscribers of a subscriber network from spoofing ARP responses by responding to an ARP request packet with an ARP response packet containing false information. The ARP response packet information is compared to address lease information for the transmitting subscriber. If the source information obtained from the ARP response packet corresponds to address lease information of the transmitting subscriber the ARP response packet is accordingly forwarded.

Abstract: In one embodiment the invention is a method. The method includes receiving data from a first party into a multiplexing device or a plurality of multiplexing devices. The method also includes receiving from a second party into a first jitter buffer, processing the data from the second party, and sending output data from the first jitter buffer to a multiplexing device or a plurality of multiplexing device. The method also includes receiving data from a third party into a second jitter buffer, processing the data from the third party, and sending output data from the second jitter buffer to a multiplexing device or a plurality of multiplexing devices. The method further includes sending data from one or a plurality of the multiplexing devices to a first output device. The method further includes sending data from one or a plurality of the multiplexing devices to a second output device. Moreover, data is further sent from one or a plurality of the multiplexing devices to a third output device.

Abstract: A method of storing address lease information including a Media Access Control (MAC) address, an IP address, and a port for a subscriber in a database coupled to a network edge device when an address lease is associated with the subscriber, receiving subscriber packets on at least one port of the network edge device, comparing source address information from packets purportedly transmitted by the subscriber with address lease information associated with the subscriber, and forwarding those of the packets if source address information from the packets, including source MAC and IP addresses, corresponds to address lease information associated with the subscriber.

Abstract: A framework is used for delivering data to and from a system. The framework consists of different delivery vehicles or forms to carry different types of data to and from the system. The data contains configuration information. When storing the configuration information, the framework allows the configuration information from the system to be filled in the forms. The configuration information is converted into a Generalized Markup Language (GML) format.

Abstract: A local time of a broadband loop carrier terminal is synchronized to a network time received from a source external to the broadband loop carrier terminal by comparing the local time to the network time to generate an error offset, and adjusting the local time based on the error offset. The network time may be received in response to a Network Time Protocol (NTP) poll transmitted by the broadband loop carrier terminal. In some cases, the poll is transmitted over a communication medium using an asynchronous packet protocol, such as Ethernet or TCP/IP. In one embodiment, the local time is based on the output of a local oscillator (e.g., a voltage controlled oscillator), the frequency of which may be adjusted using control logic which uses a filtered version of the error offset along with a factory calibration and/or temperature compensation to produce a control voltage to control the oscillator frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packetizing data framed as a TDM stream as an Ethernet packet. In an embodiment, the data is packetized into an Ethernet frame having a header which includes information which indicates an appropriate time at which to write the data into an outbound TDM stream.

Abstract: System and method to uniformly access devices. The method may include receiving at least one high-level request regarding at least one designated device of a plurality of devices from an application program, translating the high-level request to one or more low-level requests, and communicating the low-level request(s) to a device driver associated with one or more devices. The method may further include receiving a low-level message from a device, translating the low-level message to a high-level message, and forwarding the high-level message to the application program that sent the high-level request. The system may include a processor and a memory coupled to a bus, an application program, and a multiplexor to forward requests from the application program to a plurality of device drivers for corresponding devices, and to forward information received from the device drivers regarding the devices to the application program.

Abstract: A CLI description language is implemented to define a set of command keywords and arguments forming CLI description files. The CLI description language is implemented using Extensible Markup Language (XML). A set of XML tags and corresponding semantic definitions are provided. An XML schema is defined for the CLI description language. The CLI description files are compiled into runtime format using the XML schema. The CLI description files provide a mapping of object names to services of the system.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, the voice processing logic for a node in a packet-based network includes a shared memory, a counter to be clocked by a signal derived from a stratum traceable clock (STC) reference, a processor, a digital signal processor (DSP) system, and an interface to a time division multiplexed (TDM) bus. The processor is to execute a number of instructions stored in program memory, to thereby process voice payload into a number of voice packets, where the voice payload has been obtained from a number of network packets sent by the sender machine through the network. The host system buffers the voice packets before writing them to the shared memory. One or more voice packets are written in response to a processor interrupt received from the counter.

Abstract: A telecommunications system having segmented local ring networks is described. VLANs are used to segment the ring, constructing a logical non-ring topology providing each device on the ring with alternative paths for communication. The system provides failover (within 50 ms) and load sharing capabilities using groups of VLANS.

Abstract: Data available in a system is identified. Each data is categorized as a scalar data or a tabular data. The tabular data is associated with data from a table and the scalar data is not. Each data is further categorized as a parameter data or a statistic data. The statistic data is pulled from the system. The parameter data is either pulled from the system or pushed to the system. The data is grouped into groups based on logical relationships of data in the groups. A blank form is developed for each group of data. Each blank form has one or more fields defined to accommodate the data in the group. Using the blank form, the data is pushed to the system and to pulled from the system.

Abstract: A telecommunications network having a ring topology overlaid with an Ethernet. An add/drop multiplexer (ADM) employing wave division multiplexing (WDM) hardware is implemented at each node of a multi-node fiber-based network. The ADM contains a robust protection scheme for reliability. The WDM allows the data traffic of the incumbent network, for example, a SONET network, to be carried over one or more frequencies while the data traffic of one or more packet-based networks may be carried over one or more other frequencies. Each ADM has protection switches, for example, micro-electromechanical switches. The protection switches provide a no-load bypass capability. A failed node can be shunted from the ring, allowing the Ethernet data to bypass the node uninterrupted. The switches also provide a self-test capability. The ADM interfaces can be checked by coupling the receiving path and the transmission path. This allows the ADM transceivers to communicate with each other.

Abstract: A communication bus snooper switch includes an inbound cell queue coupled to receive ATM cells from a number of ATM physical layer interfaces across a common inbound bus. An out-bound cell queue (which may be the same queue as the inbound cell queue when a dual port queue is used) is coupled to provide the ATM cells to separate ATM termination points according cell address information across separate out-bound busses. Each of the out-bound busses is associated with one of the ATM termination points. The snooper switch is configured to operate as an ATM bus master when communicating with the physical layer interfaces and as a ATM bus slave when communicating with the ATM termination points. During transmit operations, cells from the various ATM termination points are queued in corresponding transmission cell queues within the snooper switch and, thereafter, provided to the ATM physical layer interfaces according to an arbitration scheme implemented at the snooper switch.

Abstract: A protection device includes a substrate capable of suppressing electromagnetic fields, with a channel formed therein, a current dependent circuit interrupter disposed inside the channel, and voltage management circuitry coupled to the substrate. The voltage management circuitry is electrically coupled to the current dependent circuit interrupter so as to form a crowbar circuit in the presence of overvoltage or undervoltage conditions as determined according to a reference voltage.