Abstract: The present invention relates to a solution for handling mobility and attachment of users in a wireless communication network (10). User equipment (1) is connected logically to an attachment node (14) at initial attachment and this attachment is determined from an analysis of stored historical mobility patterns of the user equipment. For instance, a mobility management device may be responsible for handling the attachment and for handling the determination of suitable attachment node, e.g. a gateway (5, 7, 8).

Abstract: A method and device for determining a packet drop indicator, for use in a communication system is described. The method comprises the following steps: A. determining the number of packets sent at a sending side within a first time period; B. determining the number of packets received at a receiving side within a second time period; and C. calculating a packet drop indicator on the basis of said number of sent packets and said number of received packets.

Abstract: A system, method and node of masquerading remote hosts at the remote end of the bottleneck link without breaking layer 2 transparency using a cache mechanism. A local edge node stores specified objects of the remote host. Upon request of an initiator host, the edge node sends the stored object to the initiator host without requiring the transfer of the object from the remote host. The present invention also provides for the election of a Local Master Browser (LMB). The method consists of electing one LMB for spreading information for each LAN segment, instead of having one such global node for the entire LAN. The present invention elects one local LMB for each LAN segment, rather than using one global LMB node.

Abstract: A technique for transferring network traffic between a radio base station (RBS) node and a gateway (GW) node of a mobile telecommunications network is described. A method embodiment comprises the steps of providing a first transport link and a second transport link between the RBS node and the GW node. The first transport link is configured to transport network traffic of a higher priority and the second transport link is configured to transport network traffic of a lower priority. The method further comprises distributing network traffic over the transport links depending on an assignment between the transport links and priority settings associated with the network traffic.

Abstract: A method for setting up a VPN is described. The VPN is set up in a backbone network having a plurality of PE routers for controlling the transfer of IP traffic to and from CE routers in satellite networks. In a PE router, a VRF is configured for the VPN and populated with local routes for the VPN. A VLAN identifier is assigned for the VPN, and advertised to other PE routers in the backbone network. Alternatively, the VLAN identifier may be determined by a predetermined mapping algorithm so it will be unique to the VPN in all PE routers, in which case the advertisement to other PE routers may contain an implicit NULL label.

Abstract: A system for providing simultaneous local and global connectivity for a 3rd generation partnership project user equipment (3GPP-UE) includes a connectivity service function (CSF) module communicating with a 3GPP-UE, a residential gateway (RGw) connected to the CSF and to consumer premises equipment (CPE) and a mobile access gateway (MAG) connected to the CSF via a level 2 (L2) tunnel, to the RGw via a broadband remote access server (BRAS) and to a packet data network gateway (PDN-GW) via a proxy mobile internet protocol (PMIP) tunnel.

Abstract: A method is provided of enabling access for a terminal (12-1) to a remote network (60) via a mobile network (40). A first connectivity service function (30) is provided as part of the mobile network (40). A second connectivity service function (20) is provided as part of the remote network (60). A third connectivity service function (10) is provided associated with the terminal (12-1). The first connectivity service function (30) is adapted to cooperate in establishing a first layer 2 tunnel (25) between itself (30) and the second connectivity service function (20). The first connectivity service function (30) is also adapted to cooperate in establishing a second layer 2 tunnel (15) between itself (30) and the third connectivity service function (10). The terminal (12-1) thereby has layer 2 access into the remote network (60) through the first and second tunnels (25, 15) using the first, second and third connectivity service functions (30, 20, 10).

Abstract: A method of allowing a nomadic terminal to access a home network on the Layer 2 level. The method comprises connecting said terminal to a remote access network via an access point, the remote access network being connected to an operator's backbone network via a remote access router. Signalling is exchanged between the access point and an authentication server within the backbone network in order to authenticate the terminal to the authentication server and, following successful authentication, a Layer 2 tunnel extending across the backbone network is established for the purpose of connecting said nomadic terminal to the home network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting an edge node from a plurality of edge nodes in a fixed access communications network. A selection node receives from a host entity a request for a network service. The selection node then obtains, from at least one further network node, data relating to a plurality of edge nodes. On thebasis of the retrieved data, the selection node selects an edge node from the plurality of edge nodes, wherein the selected edge node provides a path between the host entity and the requested network service. The selection node then sends a response to the host entity, the response including information identifying the selected edge node.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting a network resource from a plurality of network resources in a communications network. A selection node receives a request for a network resource from a terminal, and then retrieves, from at least one further network node, data relating to the plurality of network resources. On the basis of the retrieved data, the selection node selects a network resource from the plurality of network resources. A response is then sent to the terminal, the response including information identifying the selected network resource.

Abstract: A method for setting up a VPN is described. The VPN is set up in a backbone network having a plurality of PE routers for controlling the transfer of IP traffic to and from CE routers in satellite networks. In a PE router, a VRF is configured for the VPN and populated with local routes for the VPN. A VRF IP loopback address is assigned for the VRF, and a PE IP loopback address is assigned for the ingress PE router. A local route with the VRF and PE IP loopback addresses is then advertised to other PE routers in the backbone network.

Abstract: A technique for address resolution in data transmission networks, for example ARP-based address resolution in IPv4 networks. An embodiment of the technique comprises the following steps performed in a host of the data transmission network: Maintaining an association of at least one physical address with at least one network address range comprising multiple network addresses; obtaining a target network address; comparing the target network address with the network address range to determine an associated target physical address; and providing the determined target physical address, e.g. for initiating a data transmission.

Abstract: A method is provided of managing traffic in a network. The method comprises applying (S5) an indication to a packet being sent through the network, the indication being selected in dependence upon a level of traffic determined (S3) for a subscriber associated with the packet and representing a per-hop behaviour to be applied subsequently to the packet. The indication is applied so as to manage at least to some extent traffic associated with the subscriber.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a packet switched communications network especially to an Ethernet network in which User Network Interfaces (UNI) are standardized between client network (202) and core network (203) with a number of UNI service attributes. In one aspect of the invention a method is used in current packet switched nodes implementing a policer function. The task of the function is to decide whether packets with high drop preference need to be dropped or not due to resource shortage on the given interface. All outgoing packets at a given port will undergo this policer (401) irrespective of the source, destination, identification codes or traffic class. Policer (401) drops packets with high drop preference in one traffic class before a packet of low drop preference is dropped in any other traffic class, and drops packets with high drop preference before a packet of low drop preference is dropped in the same queue.

Abstract: Mobility between access domains in an Internet Protocol (IP) network can be supported by introducing a so-called Mobility Manager (MM) that maintains a database of currently attached devices and their current access domain location. The mobility manager may then detect, for a device registered in the database, a change of access domain from a first access domain to a second access domain by monitoring connection maintenance signaling related to the considered device. The mobility manager should at least obtain an indication of such a change of access domain. In response to a detected change of access domain, the mobility manager arranges for a reconfiguration of the network to forward traffic destined to an IP address of the device in the first access domain to a new location in the second access domain. In this way, the mobility manager allows the device to keep its IP address when moving between access domains.

Abstract: In a packet switched communications transport network a method for re-routing traffic flow is provided. The invention based on the recognition of actual utilization of transport resources. In accordance with the implementation, Fast Re-Route detour paths are recalculated each time after new bandwidth information is received. The detours are re-established on new computed paths if needed, i.e., if an optimized path has been found. A node and a system are also disclosed, referring to MPLS network. Also a node is described acting as a Point of Local Repair for link failures. The node comprises a Routing engine, a Link state database, a Detour path calculator and a Detour path establisher in order to capture bandwidth information of the network links and to calculate detour path information for the nodes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of configuring routing information in a network router linked into a network. The network router has a forwarding table. The method comprises removing the forwarding table entries which are not used. A network router configured in accordance with the method has a forwarding table comprising only forwarding table entries that are used.

Abstract: A method and device for determining a packet drop indicator, for use in a communication system is described. The method comprises the following steps: A. determining the number of packets sent at a sending side within a first time period; B. determining the number of packets received at a receiving side within a second time period; and C. calculating a packet drop indicator on the basis of said number of sent packets and said number of received packets.

Abstract: For efficient and fast admission control with respect to a new session and for exchange of data stream packets between an edge router (14) and a packet gateway (10) it is proposed to execute, at the edge router (14), selection of traffic streams of certain types from specific source nodes and target nodes and to also execute related traffic conditioning. Then, having selected specific data packet streams, the edge router (16) remarks data packets when the data packet streams are not in conformance with a predetermined traffic profile. This remarking serves as a performance indication for the packet gateway session admission control mechanism. In other words, the packet gateway (10) considers the number of remarked packets and determines on admission control for a new data packet stream session as a function of the number of remarked packets.