Abstract: In a method of merging and disbanding multicast groups in a packet switch network multicast groups may be merged at edge routers. Merging and disbanding of multicast groups may be controlled by a designated computing device (referred to as connection managers) on each sub-network. Connection managers across sub-networks may communicate with each other to ensure merge and disband messages are properly distributed. Connection managers may optionally be interconnected hierarchically. Connection managers or other computing devices may optionally act as proxies for merged groups to ensure traffic for merged groups is directed to a sub-network.

Abstract: A dynamic protocol framework system comprising a registry containing object-oriented elements, each element corresponding to a resource protocol component available to the system; a configurator unit for building one or more candidate protocol stacks from the elements based on protocol specifications and for building and configuring a functional protocol stack from one of the candidate stacks; and a synchronization manager monitoring the building and re-configuration of protocol stacks for consistency with the protocol specifications and monitoring for compatibility and interoperability of protocol stacks of end-to-end communicating processes.

Abstract: In a method of merging and disbanding multicast groups in a packet switch network multicast groups may be merged at edge routers. Merging and disbanding of multicast groups may be controlled by a designated computing device (referred to as connection managers) on each sub-network. Connection managers across sub-networks may communicate with each other to ensure merge and disband messages are properly distributed. Connection managers may optionally be interconnected hierarchically. Connection managers or other computing devices may optionally act as proxies for merged groups to ensure traffic for merged groups is directed to a sub-network.

Abstract: A multicast routing method satisfying quality of service constraints, devices and software are disclosed. A route requester may initiate establishment of a multicast route on a network to a multicast source node. Routing request messages are broadcast by a node receiving the request to adjacent nodes. Upon arrival of a request message at each node, QoS constraints are tested to ensure that a multicast path satisfying the QoS constraints may include this node. If so, resources at the node are tentatively reserved, and the request message is propagated to adjacent nodes. If not, a message is propagated in the reverse direction, releasing all tentative reserved resources at downstream nodes until a node through which another path to the multicast source has been routed or is tentatively reserved (i.e. a branch node) is encountered along the path. The process is repeated at each node, as routing messages are propagated in multiple directions away from the requester.