Abstract: A method of timing an attempt to establish a connection path between a first and second node in a communications network is provided. The method initiates the attempt to establish a connection path after a period of time has elapsed wherein the period of time is greater than another period of time which had previously elapsed between two previous attempts, if any, to establish the connection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating data packets according to classes of service is described. One or more service interfaces are coupled to a plurality of transport interfaces. The service interfaces carry packets having multiple classes of service, while each of the plurality of transport interfaces carries packets of a single class of service. A differentiated services codepoint profile is associated with each service interface and maps a differentiated services codepoint value of a data packet to a class of service and a drop precedence. The data packet is assigned to a transport interface based on its class of service and its drop precedence. Other factors, such as the destination of the data packet may be considered when assigning the data packet to a transport interface. Data packets from different transport interfaces are preferably enqueued in different queues of a destination service interface.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing a connection for a communication link is provided. The link has first and second portions, having the first portion in a first communication network, the second in a second communication network and an interface connecting first portion to the portion. The first communication network has a first communication protocol and a first OAM protocol to monitor integrity of the first portion. Similarly, the second communication network has a second communication protocol and a second OAM protocol. The method utilizes the second OAM protocol to detect a failure in the second portion. Upon detection of the failure, an alternate route for the second portion in the second communication network is identified, where the alternate route is able to complete the second portion of the communication link from the interface. For the communication link, at the interface the second portion is replaced with the alternate route.

Abstract: A method of timing an attempt to establish a connection path between a first and second node in a communications network is provided. The method initiates the attempt to establish a connection path after a period of time has elapsed wherein the period of time is greater than another period of time which had previously elapsed between two previous attempts, if any, to establish the connection.

Abstract: The ATM transmitting apparatus for transmitting messages, such as frame relay packets, associated with a plurality of connections comprises ATM layer transmission equipment for receiving multiple messages, segmenting each received message into a plurality of smaller data units, such as 48 byte AAL SAR protocol data units, and multiplexing such data units into a single stream for transport over a physical interface. A scheduler receives messages from each of the connections and transfers the messages to the transmission equipment. The scheduler can dynamically set a transmission rate for any connection, and allocates each connection whose message is transferred to the transmission equipment a substantially maximal amount of bandwidth at any given time during the transmission of the message, to thereby minimize interleaving of data units from the various connections and reduce the average latency (per unit of message) in transmitting the messages across a network.

Abstract: A method of timing an attempt to establish a connection path between a first and second node in a communications network is provided. The method initiates the attempt to establish a connection path after a period of time has elapsed wherein the period of time is greater than another period of time which had previously elapsed between two previous attempts, if any, to establish the connection.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing a connection for a communication link is provided. The link has first and second portions, having the first portion in a first communication network, the second in a second communication network and an interface connecting first portion to the portion. The first communication network has a first communication protocol and a first OAM protocol to monitor integrity of the first portion. Similarly, the second communication network has a second communication protocol and a second OAM protocol. The method utilizes the second OAM protocol to detect a failure in the second portion. Upon detection of the failure, an alternate route for the second portion in the second communication network is identified, where the alternate route is able to complete the second portion of the communication link from the interface. For the communication link, at the interface the second portion is replaced with the alternate route.

Abstract: A system and method of configuring a communications path in a communications network from a start node to an end node through intermediate nodes is provided by: establishing a partial path for the communications path from the start node to a terminating node in the intermediate nodes; and at the terminating node, if a communications link to a next-hop node does not exist in the intermediate nodes, then establishing the terminating node as an interim egress node for the communications path; and notifying the start node of mapping parameters for the partial communications path.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing a connection for a communication link is provided. The link has first and second portions, having the first portion in a first communication network, the second in a second communication network and an interface connecting first portion to the portion. The first communication network has a first communication protocol and a first OAM protocol to monitor integrity of the first portion. Similarly, the second communication network has a second communication protocol and a second OAM protocol. The method utilizes the second OAM protocol to detect a failure in the second portion. Upon detection of the failure, an alternate route for the second portion in the second communication network is identified, where the alternate route is able to complete the second portion of the communication link from the interface. For the communication link, at the interface the second portion is replaced with the alternate route.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a communications network having a plurality of interconnected nodes is provided by: establishing a connection path from an ingress node to an egress node through intermediate nodes; associating the connection path with a network-wide unique identification; on the ingress node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path originates at the ingress node; on each intermediate node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path transits the intermediate node; and on the egress node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path terminates at the ingress node.

Abstract: The ATM apparatus for transmitting messages associated with a plurality of variable bit rate connections comprises ATM layer transmission equipment for receiving multiple messages, segmenting each received message into a plurality of smaller data units, such as 48 byte ATM adaption layer segmentation and reassembly protocol data units, and multiplexing such data units into a single stream for transport over a physical interface. A scheduler receives messages from each of the variable bit rate connections and transfers the messages to the transmission equipment in an order corresponding to the level of a leaky bucket associated with each connection.

Abstract: A method of re-establishing a connection for a communication link is provided. The link has first and second portions, having the first portion in a first communication network, the second in a second communication network and an interface connecting first portion to the portion. The first communication network has a first communication protocol and a first OAM protocol to monitor integrity of the first portion. Similarly, the second communication network has a second communication protocol and a second OAM protocol. The method utilizes the second OAM protocol to detect a failure in the second portion. Upon detection of the failure, an alternate route for the second portion in the second communication network is identified, where the alternate route is able to complete the second portion of the communication link from the interface. For the communication link, at the interface the second portion is replaced with the alternate route.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating data packets according to classes of service is described. One or more service interfaces are coupled to a plurality of transport interfaces. The service interfaces carry packets having multiple classes of service, while each of the plurality of transport interfaces carries packets of a single class of service. A differentiated services codepoint profile is associated with each service interface and maps a differentiated services codepoint value of a data packet to a class of service and a drop precedence. The data packet is assigned to a transport interface based on its class of service and its drop precedence. Other factors, such as the destination of the data packet may be considered when assigning the data packet to a transport interface. Data packets from different transport interfaces are preferably enqueued in different queues of a destination service interface.

Abstract: The ATM transmitting apparatus for transmitting messages, such as frame relay packets, associated with a plurality of connections comprises ATM layer transmission equipment for receiving multiple messages, segmenting each received message into a plurality of smaller data units, such as 48 byte AAL SAR protocol data units, and multiplexing such data units into a single stream for transport over a physical interface. A scheduler receives messages from each of the connections and transfers the messages to the transmission equipment. The scheduler can dynamically set a transmission rate for any connection, and allocates each connection whose message is transferred to the transmission equipment a substantially maximal amount of bandwidth at any given time during the transmission of the message, to thereby minimize interleaving of data units from the various connections and reduce the average latency (per unit of message) in transmitting the messages across a network.

Abstract: A method of timing an attempt to establish a connection path between a first and second node in a communications network is provided. The method initiates the attempt to establish a connection path after a period of time has elapsed wherein the period of time is greater than another period of time which had previously elapsed between two previous attempts, if any, to establish the connection.

Abstract: A system and method of configuring a communications path in a communications network from a start node to an end node through intermediate nodes is provided by: establishing a partial path for the communications path from the start node to a terminating node in the intermediate nodes; and at the terminating node, if a communications link to a next-hop node does not exist in the intermediate nodes, then establishing the terminating node as an interim egress node for the communications path; and notifying the start node of mapping parameters for the partial communications path.

Abstract: A system and method of operating a communications network having a plurality of interconnected nodes is provided by: establishing a connection path from an ingress node to an egress node through intermediate nodes; associating the connection path with a network-wide unique identification; on the ingress node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path originates at the ingress node; on each intermediate node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path transits the intermediate node; and on the egress node, storing the path identification so as to indicate that the path terminates at the ingress node.

Abstract: The ATM transmitting apparatus for transmitting messages, such as frame relay packets, associated with a plurality of connections comprises ATM layer transmission equipment for receiving multiple messages, segmenting each received message into a plurality of smaller data units, such as 48 byte AAL SAR protocol data units, and multiplexing such data units into a single stream for transport over a physical interface. A scheduler receives messages from each of the connections and transfers the messages to the transmission equipment. The scheduler can dynamically set a transmission rate for any connection, and allocates each connection whose message is transferred to the transmission equipment a substantially maximal amount of bandwidth at any given time during the transmission of the message, to thereby minimize interleaving of data units from the various connections and reduce the average latency (per unit of message) in transmitting the messages across a network.