Abstract: A system for communicating information between a central site and a remote site includes a central network access device operable to receive a broadcast signal from the central site and to condition the broadcast signal to facilitate its transmission to the remote site using a satellite system. The central network access device further operable to receive from a wide area network an incoming signal originating from the remote site, and to condition the incoming signal for receipt by the central site.

Abstract: A system for communicating information between a central site and a remote site includes a central network access device operable to receive a broadcast signal from the central site and to condition the broadcast signal to facilitate its transmission to the remote site using a satellite system. The central network access device further operable to receive from a wide area network an incoming signal originating from the remote site, and to condition the incoming signal for receipt by the central site.

Abstract: A system for emulating a distributed network includes a localized network operable to emulate a distributed network. A network device is coupled to the localized network and operable to be accessed over the localized network. A test site is operable to couple a test device to the localized network and to test the ability of the test device to access the network device over the localized network.

Abstract: A method of configuring a network management network (10) including a computer network (20), a network management system (30), and a data link (40) for coupling the computer network to the network management system includes determining at least one network management parameter for the network management network (10), including the number of network devices (22) on the computer network (20). The method also includes calculating a data link (40) capacity in response to determining the at least one network management parameter and the number of network devices (22) and configuring (160) the network management network (10) in response to determining the at least one network management parameter and calculating the data link (40) capacity.

Abstract: A communications network includes a transmit node and a receive node. A first transmission line extends between the transmit and receive nodes and includes a primary embedded channel for carrying channel traffic between the nodes and normal operation. A second transmission line extends between the transmit and receive nodes and includes a secondary embedded channel for carrying the channel traffic between the nodes in the event of a fault condition on the primary embedded channel. The transmit node is operable to automatically switch transmission of the channel traffic from the primary embedded channel to the secondary embedded channel in response to a fault condition being detected in the primary embedded channel at the transmit node. The receive node is operable to automatically switch reception of the channel traffic from the primary embedded channel to the secondary embedded channel in response to detection of the same fault in the primary embedded channel by the receive node.

Abstract: A communications system for remotely managing equipment includes a first remote device and a second remote device having the same network address. A communications network includes a first link connecting the first remote device to a management station and a second, disparate link connecting the second remote device to the management station. The management station is operable to individually access the first remote device via the first link and to individually access the second remote device via the second link.

Abstract: A system and method for projecting service availability in a telecommunication network. The present invention comprises an empirically-based availability estimate that accounts for the impact of maintenance actions by network personnel, as well as cable cuts and equipment failures. The system comprises a managed network comprising a plurality of interconnected switches to carry and route telecommunications traffic among customer endpoints, a network management system connected to the interconnected switches in the managed network via control links to monitor the switching activity of said managed network, a plurality of databases for storing maintenance actions and reliability factors, and a projected availability processor connected to the network management system to collect information from the network management system and the databases and determine service availability.

Abstract: A system and method for characterizing actual availability of a long-haul path in a telecommunications network. The present invention subdivides the long-haul path into distinct modular components and determines availability for each modular component of the long-haul path. A composite end-to-end availability figure is determined by summing the modular component availabilities. The present invention comprises a telecommunications network comprising a plurality of interconnected switches to carry and route telecommunications traffic among customer endpoints, and an entry and exit gateway for performing protocol conversion from one communication network to another. A network management system is connected to the interconnected switches in the telecommunications network via control links, for monitoring availability for the telecommunications network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are described which automatically allocate available physical resources of a telecommunications network to efficiently resolve network problems and improve the serviceability, availability and reliability of such networks. Large volumes of sensor data representing faults in the operational condition of elements of the telecommunications network are collected in a buffer. A network performance index is calculated for the entire network or for any portion of the network, thereby assembling the data into easily understood, accurate measurement of transmission performance. The network performance index is then compared with predetermined target values to determine what resources to allocate.