Abstract: A transmission control system for controlling management processes, such as shaping, is presented. The management processes are directed to data streams that are parts of data traffic transmitted via a link aggregation group having egress ports in separate functional entities of a network element. For each data frame of the data traffic, it is detected whether the data frame belongs to any of the data streams. Data frames belonging to none of the data streams are forwarded so that these data frames are distributed between the functional entities according to a link aggregation rule. A management rule is maintained for indicating, for each of the data streams, a stream-specific functional entity that runs each management process directed to the data stream. Each data frame belonging to one of the data streams is forwarded to the appropriate stream-specific functional entity in accordance with the management rule.

Abstract: A software-defined network includes a database (105) that is accessible to a controller system (108, 109) of the software defined network and also to network elements (101-014) of the software defined network. The controller system determines configuration data and delivers it to the database. Each network element retrieves its part of the configuration data from the database and implements the retrieved part of the configuration data into its own configuration system that enables the network element to operate as a part of the software-defined network. The commonly used database facilitates maintaining the congruence between the network elements and the controller system of the software-defined network.

Abstract: A transmission control system for controlling management processes, such as shaping, is presented. The management processes are directed to data streams that are parts of data traffic transmitted via a link aggregation group having egress ports in separate functional entities of a network element. For each data frame of the data traffic, it is detected whether the data frame belongs to any of the data streams. Data frames belonging to none of the data streams are forwarded so that these data frames are distributed between the functional entities according to a link aggregation rule. A management rule is maintained for indicating, for each of the data streams, a stream-specific functional entity that runs each management process directed to the data stream. Each data frame belonging to one of the data streams is forwarded to the appropriate stream-specific functional entity in accordance with the management rule.

Abstract: A method for configuring network elements of a software-defined network on the basis of relation data items and action policy rules is presented. Each relation data item expresses two entities and their relationship and each action policy rule expresses an event and an action to be carried out in response to the event. The method comprises deriving (301) implicit relations between the entities on the basis of the relation data items and generating (303) the configuration data for the network elements on the basis of the relation data items, the action policy rules, and the derived implicit relations. The derivation of the implicit relations and the utilization of the derived implicit relations for generating the configuration data facilitate providing automated operation.

Abstract: In a content addressable network, a hash result of a data item, which is a part of or relating to an entity to be accessed via the network, constitutes (401, 402) at least a part of an L3 network layer, e.g. IP, destination address and/or a protocol layer below L3, e.g. Ethernet, destination address of a protocol data unit, e.g. a data packet, frame, or cell. The entity to be accessed can be e.g. a data file, a hierarchical data structure, or a process to be controlled via the network. There is no need to retrieve e.g. an Ethernet address, or e.g. an IP-address, on the basis of the hash result of the data item, because the hash result itself is used as the address. Hence, in the content addressable network, the step for address retrieval on the basis of the hash result becomes needless.

Abstract: A network element (201) for a data transfer network comprises functional entities (221-226) each being adapted to maintain an entity-specific configuration system which comprises configuration entries with the aid of which the functional entity under consideration is able to co-operate with the other functional entities so that the network element is capable of operating as a part of the data transfer network. The network element maintains a database that is writeable and readable by the functional entities. At least one configuration entry related to one or more of the functional entities is composed of data items written by many functional entities to the database, and thereafter the relevant one or more functional entities read the configuration entry from the database. The database that is commonly used by the functional entities facilitates maintaining the congruence between the functional entities and reduces the amount of configuration data traffic between the functional entities.

Abstract: A software-defined network includes a database (105) that is accessible to a controller system (108, 109) of the software defined network and also to network elements (101-014) of the software defined network. The controller system determines configuration data and delivers it to the database. Each network element retrieves its part of the configuration data from the database and implements the retrieved part of the configuration data into its own configuration system that enables the network element to operate as a part of the software-defined network. The commonly used database facilitates maintaining the congruence between the network elements and the controller system of the software-defined network.

Abstract: In a system, the functionality is decentralized in a data transmission network so that the need of communications produced by and addressed to data terminals to pass by way of a single point in the data transmission network is diminished. A first data transmission installation is adapted to signal second data transmission installations, each of which is part of a ring-shaped data transmission topology, to be capable of building logical data transmission tunnels directed to the data terminals. Thereby, all the logical data transmission tunnels need not commence or, depending on the direction, terminate at the same point of a data transmission network. In addition, the data transmission installations present in a ring-shaped data transmission topology need not necessarily be taught routing information in order to enable each of these data transmission installations to send data transmission frames to be transmitted to another one of these data transmission installations.

Abstract: In a data communication system according to the invention the functionality of the gateway device is distributed in a data communication network thereby reducing the need to direct the data traffic from and to terminals (212, 213, 214) through a single point in the data communication network. A first data communication device (207) is arranged to make, through signalling, second data communication devices (204, 205, 206) capable of directing the data communications of the terminals to the starting points of the respective logical data communication tunnels (215, 216, 217). This way there is no need for all logical data communication tunnels to start from, or depending on the direction, to end at, the same point in the data communication network.

Abstract: A method for controlling a software-defined network “SDN” includes receiving (301) information provided by one or more external sources outside the software-defined network, generating (303) configuration data for changing configuration of one or more network elements of the software-defined network on the basis of the received information in response to a situation (302) where the received information indicates an occurred or forthcoming change of one or more operating conditions of the software-defined network, and sending (304) the configuration data to the network elements so as to adapt the software-defined network to changes of the one or more operating conditions.

Abstract: A method for configuring network elements of a software-defined network on the basis of relation data items and action policy rules is presented. Each relation data item expresses two entities and their relationship and each action policy rule expresses an event and an action to be carried out in response to the event. The method comprises deriving (301) implicit relations between the entities on the basis of the relation data items and generating (303) the configuration data for the network elements on the basis of the relation data items, the action policy rules, and the derived implicit relations. The derivation of the implicit relations and the utilization of the derived implicit relations for generating the configuration data facilitate providing automated operation.

Abstract: In a content addressable network, a hash result of a data item, which is a part of or relating to an entity to be accessed via the network, constitutes (401, 402) at least a part of an L3 network layer, e.g. IP, destination address and/or a protocol layer below L3, e.g. Ethernet, destination address of a protocol data unit, e.g. a data packet, frame, or cell. The entity to be accessed can be e.g. a data file, a hierarchical data structure, or a process to be controlled via the network. There is no need to retrieve e.g. an Ethernet address, or e.g. an IP-address, on the basis of the hash result of the data item, because the hash result itself is used as the address. Hence, in the content addressable network, the step for address retrieval on the basis of the hash result becomes needless.

Abstract: To transfer a communication session from a first data source to a second data source, the following operations are carried out when a radio terminal is handed over from a first base station to a second base station: the session settings and status information related to the communication session are transferred (503) to be used in conjunction with the second data source, a first portion of the payload data related to the communication session is sent (504) in accordance with the session settings from the first data source to the radio terminal via the second base station, and the next portion of the payload data which according to the status information still has to be sent to the radio terminal during the communication session is sent (506) in accordance with the session settings from the second data source to the radio terminal via the second base station.

Abstract: To transfer a communication session from a first data source to a second data source, the following operations are carried out when a radio terminal is handed over from a first base station to a second base station: the session settings and status information related to the communication session are transferred (503) to be used in conjunction with the second data source, a first portion of the payload data related to the communication session is sent (504) in accordance with the session settings from the first data source to the radio terminal via the second base station, and the next portion of the payload data which according to the status information still has to be sent to the radio terminal during the communication session is sent (506) in accordance with the session settings from the second data source to the radio terminal via the second base station.

Abstract: In a system, the functionality is decentralized in a data transmission network so that the need of communications produced by and addressed to data terminals to pass by way of a single point in the data transmission network is diminished. A first data transmission installation is adapted to signal second data transmission installations, each of which is part of a ring-shaped data transmission topology, to be capable of building logical data transmission tunnels directed to the data terminals. Thereby, all the logical data transmission tunnels need not commence or, depending on the direction, terminate at the same point of a data transmission network. In addition, the data transmission installations present in a ring-shaped data transmission topology need not necessarily be taught routing information in order to enable each of these data transmission installations to send data transmission frames to be transmitted to another one of these data transmission installations.

Abstract: In a data communication system according to the invention the functionality of the gateway device is distributed in a data communication network thereby reducing the need to direct the data traffic from and to terminals (212, 213, 214) through a single point in the data communication network. A first data communication device (207) is arranged to make, through signalling, second data communication devices (204, 205, 206) capable of directing the data communications of the terminals to the starting points of the respective logical data communication tunnels (215, 216, 217). This way there is no need for all logical data communication tunnels to start from, or depending on the direction, to end at, the same point in the data communication network.