Abstract: A session border controller for delivering content includes a first port to communicate with a user using a first signaling protocol, a second port to communicate with a content provider using a second signaling protocol, and a processor coupled to the first and second ports. The session border controller sends a message to the content provider to begin delivery of a content destined for the user. The session border controller receives a first media stream including the content and content provider information from the content provider. The session border controller creates a second media stream that includes the content without the content provider information, and delivers the second media stream to the user.

Abstract: A session border controller includes a first port to communicate with a user using a first signaling protocol, a second port to communicate with a content provider using a second signaling protocol, and a processor coupled to the first and second ports. The session border controller may send a PLAY message to the content provider to begin delivery of a content destined for the user. The session border controller may further receive a first media stream including the content and content provider information from the content provider. The session border controller may further create a second media stream that includes the content without the content provider information, and deliver the second media stream to the user.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for receiving a request from a first interface to establish a session with at least a second interface in a communication network is provided. The request is transmitted to an application layer signaling device via an application layer signaling protocol dialog, wherein the application layer signaling protocol dialog is configured to facilitate communication between the first interface and the application layer signaling device. The method further includes communicating parameters for establishing a session tunnel to a first edge router via the application layer signaling protocol dialog, wherein the first edge router is configured to dynamically establish the session tunnel between the first edge router and at least a second edge router, wherein the second edge router is positioned proximate to the at least second interface in the communication network.

Abstract: Methods and devices for managing traffic are described. Traffic from a source in a virtual private network (VPN) is received. The traffic is directed to a virtual interface that is designated to receive traffic from the VPN. The virtual interface is configured to associate the traffic with an identifier that uniquely identifies the VPN to a session border controller (SBC). The SBC can use the identifier to determine whether the source and the destination of the traffic are in the same VPN.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a router receives a call request for establishing a multimedia exchange between two remote endpoints. The router selects a processing entity to manage a subset of connections with the remote endpoints according to an endpoint identification such as a remote address included in the call request. A different processing entity manages the remaining connections with the remote endpoints. Accordingly, the load of managing signaling for establishing the multimedia exchange is balanced between a plurality of processing elements that appear externally as a single entity such that modification of remote endpoint behavior is not required.

Abstract: An improved mechanism for analysing connection establishment/teardown process or identifying failure points (i.e. nodes) in a PNNI network through the use of a novel debug IE (information element) that is propagated along the communication path for a given connection to activate diagnostic functions on targeted switching devices. The mechanism comprises a method that is initiated by embedding a debug information element (IE) in a data packet that is propagated to various switching devices (the nodes) along the communication path. The debug IE is encoded such that it will be recognized by selected switching devices along the path, but ignored by other non-selected switching devices. Further encoding identifies targeted switching devices that are suspected to be possible failure points to confirm that they are functioning properly.

Abstract: Methods and devices for managing traffic at a session border controller (SBC) are described. A signal portion of traffic en route from a source in a virtual private network (VPN) to a destination is received. The signal portion has embedded therein an identifier that uniquely identifies the VPN. The identifier is accessed to determine whether the destination is also in the VPN. A decision whether to direct a media portion of the traffic to an SBC is made depending on whether or not the destination is outside of the VPN.

Abstract: A network-based call interface device is used for real-time packet protocol calls, such as, but not limited to, interfacing real-time calls between client devices and call services/destination devices. The network-based call interface device includes a virtual phone and a virtual server-phone communicating with each other. The virtual phone communicates with the call server making the network-based call interface device appear to the call server as a client device; and the virtual server-phone communicates with the client device making the network-based call interface device appear to the client device as call server.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for receiving a request from a first interface to establish a session with at least a second interface in a communication network is provided. The request is transmitted to an application layer signaling device via an application layer signaling protocol dialog, wherein the application layer signaling protocol dialog is configured to facilitate communication between the first interface and the application layer signaling device. The method further includes communicating parameters for establishing a session tunnel to a first edge router via the application layer signaling protocol dialog, wherein the first edge router is configured to dynamically establish the session tunnel between the first edge router and at least a second edge router, wherein the second edge router is positioned proximate to the at least second interface in the communication network.

Abstract: A method and system for optimizing link aggregation usage during failures is disclosed. The method and system are deployed in a network having a data plane in which data traffic flows between nodes coupled by a link formed by an aggregation of a number of individual connections (e.g., an IMA comprising a plurality of T1 or E1 lines, MPLS transport LSPs, ATM VPCs, etc.) and a control plane for controlling data traffic. The method includes communicating a bandwidth change on the link corresponding to the failure to the control plane. Flapping of the link is deterred. A component of the traffic is released based on a configured policy.

Abstract: A method for enhanced crankback handling in a multi-peer group network. The method includes receiving a first connection request from a node of a first peer group. Upon detection of a call failure within the second peer group, a crankback is transmitted from the second peer group to the first peer group. The crankback specifies a blocked interface at a first link between the first peer group and the second peer group. The crankback is transmitted from a node of the second peer group. A second connection request is subsequently received from the node of the first peer group. The second connection request uses a second link to the second peer group that avoids the call failure.

Abstract: A system and method for providing link, node, and PG policy based routing in PNNI based ATM networks is disclosed. A computer implemented method signals and routes a call in the network. Upon detecting the call's arrival, its service request is accessed. Upon determining that the service request relates to an attribute of a link, a routing path is sought that conforms to the service request, as by accessing information relating to the routing path and comparing the information to the service request. A conforming routing path is selected, and the call is routed via that path. A computer implemented method advertises an attribute of links, nodes, policies, etc. Data relating to the route's attribute can be provided to a node as a GAT IE component of a PNNI signaling setup message for multi-peer group networks, and advertised using PTSEs within a peer group.

Abstract: A system and method to provide node-to-node connectivity in a communications network are disclosed. A virtual connection is established between a source node coupled to a client and a destination node within the connection-oriented network using standards-based signaling. A communication session is then activated between the client and the destination node on the virtual connection.

Abstract: A system and method for providing link, node, and PG policy based routing in PNNI based ATM networks is disclosed. A computer implemented method signals and routes a call in the network. Upon detecting the call's arrival, its service request is accessed. Upon determining that the service request relates to an attribute of a link, a routing path is sought that conforms to the service request, as by accessing information relating to the routing path and comparing the information to the service request. A conforming routing path is selected, and the call is routed via that path. A computer implemented method advertises an attribute of links, nodes, policies, etc. Data relating to the route's attribute can be provided to a node as a GAT IE component of a PNNI signaling setup message for multi-peer group networks, and advertised using PTSEs within a peer group.

Abstract: A method is described that involves updating an understanding of an ATM PNNI network after the reception of PTSE information. The PTSE information has SIG information that describes bandwidth which has been allocated to specific priority levels of a bandwidth resource. The bandwidth resource is within the ATM PNNI network. Then, determining a path through the network for a requested connection. The path is determined in light of the updated understanding. The requested connection has a priority level, wherein the path may result in one or more connections being dropped in order to allow bandwidth for the requested connection. Each of the dropped connections has a lower priority level than the priority level of the requested connection.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a method for specifying preferred routes for SPVCs across multi-peer group PNNI networks and AINI links. A preferred route for a network connection through a network having a plurality of nodes, organized hierarchically into a plurality of peer groups, is determined. The preferred route is associated with a preferred route identifier. The preferred route identifier is carried in the PNNI SETUP message and is used to link a preferred route database in the source node with the entry border nodes of remote peer groups for a single SPVC. The entry border node of each peer group establishes a connection over a static route corresponding to the preferred route identifier. For one embodiment the preferred route identifier is carried in a generic application transport information element of the PNNI signaling SETUP message, providing a scalable preferred routing capability for SPVCs across multi-peer group PNNI networks.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a router receives a call request for establishing a multimedia exchange between two remote endpoints. The router selects a processing entity to manage a subset of connections with the remote endpoints according to an endpoint identification such as a remote address included in the call request. A different processing entity manages the remaining connections with the remote endpoints. Accordingly, the load of managing signaling for establishing the multimedia exchange is balanced between a plurality of processing elements that appear externally as a single entity such that modification of remote endpoint behavior is not required.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for dividing a network into clock partitions to limit the overhead created by transmitting clock sources. A clock partition can be implemented through several methods. A first method turns off the clock topology exchange on ports connected to the nodes outside the partition. A second method appends a four-byte partition identifier to network clock distribution protocol (NCDP) messages. A third method uses private network-network interface (PNNI) peer group identification to determine the clock partition group.

Abstract: A method to provide actual network connection routing cost for use in connection grooming is disclosed for one embodiment. A setup message is transmitted from a source network node, through one or more intermediate nodes, to a destination node. A connect message, in acknowledgement of the setup message, is transmitted from the destination node, through the one or more intermediate nodes, to the source node to establish a network connection. The connect message includes an actual routing cost field. For one embodiment, an actual routing cost field is carried in a generic application transport (GAT) information element (IE) of a PNNI CONNECT message. The actual routing cost field is updated at every node as each link is traversed from the destination node to the source node. The accumulated routing cost in the GAT IE represents the actual routing cost of the SPVC, which the source node uses for connection grooming.

Abstract: Disclosed are, inter alia, methods, apparatus, data structures, computer-readable media, mechanisms, and means for applying features to packets in an order specified by a selected feature order template. By providing multiple feature order templates, a network device manufacturer can provide the user of the network device the ability to select among a variety of orders in which features are applied, while limiting the possible selectable orderings such as to those capable by the hardware and software of the network device, and/or to a subset of orderings thereof which has been thoroughly tested. Some devices further allow a user to define new feature order templates via a user interface.