Abstract: Data communications system for handling IP packets have a route evaluation mechanism for determining a least cost route for delivery a packet to a destination, and an alternate route evaluation mechanism for evaluating possible routes for packet delivery having cost different from the cost of the least cost route. In response to evaluation performed by the alternate route evaluation mechanism, an alternate route table generator produces an alternate route table containing alternate routes for delivery of the packet to the destination. A fast failure recovery algorithm is carried out to determine entries in the alternate route table.

Abstract: A packet switching system for switching packets over corporate networks and the Internet using Internet Protocol (IP) suite of protocols is provided with an encryption detecting unit that determines whether at least a section of a portion of an incoming packet allocated for Internet Protocol (IP) address fields comprises encrypted data. If the encrypted data is detected, a decrypting unit decrypts the encrypted data. A packet identifying unit detects a virtual connection identifier (VCID) marker indicating that a VCID is provided in the portion of the incoming packet allocated for IP address fields. A data extracting unit extracts the VCID from the decrypted data. For example, the data extracting unit may extracts original source and destination IP addresses, or a Quality of Service (QoS) field for identifying parameters of Quality of Service. A route processing engine determines a route for forwarding the packet, and a packet forwarding unit places the packet into a queue for transmission.

Abstract: The method described here provides for high-speed, Quality of Service (QoS) driven, and secure transport of voice, video and data packets for facilitating the convergence of multiple networking facilities into one. The method involves replacing one or more bits in the IP header address fields and replacing them with or adding to them unique virtual connection or virtual circuit (VC) identifiers for node-to-node, that is device-to-device, connectivity as well as for representing values or parameters for packet type, QoS, security, network management and node/link resources. Identifiers for the above parameters are developed and saved at each node as a switching table. The values representing the identifiers from a switching table are used to assign virtual connections as well as control the flows of packets.

Abstract: The method described here provides for high-speed, Quality of Service (QoS) driven, and secure transport of voice, video and data packets for facilitating the convergence of multiple networking facilities into one. The method also allows for incorporating robust management features, including localized failure recovery and congestion avoidance, for locally and remotely managing various nodes such as routers, switches, portable devices and other appurtenances including computers and communication links. The method provides for switching of data packets that comprise Internet Protocol (IP), Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), and other packets, and includes signaling packet configurations.