Abstract: Included are a network information database for storing the statistical information collected from a router, a user request processing unit for accepting and processing a flow forwarding request from a user terminal connected to the network, a route control unit for searching for a route corresponding to the request from the user terminal by referring to the network information database, a load sharing control unit for executing such a load sharing process as to generate router setting information for sharing a transmission load of the network by referring to the network information database, and a router control unit for setting a router based on the route information determined by the route control unit and on the router setting information generated by the load sharing control unit.

Abstract: In a storage management system and method which virtualizes a plurality of storage devices distributed over a network to be managed, a storage state manager, in a storage management server, manages a storage usage state in each storage device, a network state manager manages a traffic state of each network device, and a path searching/setup portion determines a storage data path to be set up in the network device based on the storage usage state and the traffic state. In a host, a virtualization mapper associates a storage space replied from the storage management server with a virtual storage, and a path information setup portion transmits/receives storage data with the storage data path.

Abstract: In a storage management system and method which virtualizes a plurality of storage devices distributed over a network to be managed, a storage state manager, in a storage management server, manages a storage usage state in each storage device, a network state manager manages a traffic state of each network device, and a path searching/setup portion determines a storage data path to be set up in the network device based on the storage usage state and the traffic state. In a host, a virtualization mapper associates a storage space replied from the storage management server with a virtual storage, and a path information setup portion transmits/receives storage data with the storage data path.

Abstract: A QoS information notification method for transmitting QoS information over a multi-domain network includes steps of: (a) a first inter-domain signaling apparatus 11A transmitting QoS information to a first communication apparatus 13A; (b) the first communication apparatus 13A transmitting the received QoS information to a second communication apparatus 13B; (c) the second communication apparatus 13B transmitting to a second inter-domain signaling apparatus 11B the received QoS information and a route through which the received QoS information has passed; and (d) the second inter-domain signaling apparatus 11B associating the received QoS information with the received route.

Abstract: Disclosed is a QoS guaranteeing method on a network path across a plurality of domains, among QoS servers linking the domains included in each of a plurality of domains, the QoS server included in the domain defined as a QoS guaranteeing resource request source performing the steps of generating a QoS guaranteeing resource request message; sending the generated QoS guaranteeing resource request message to the QoS server managing the next domain on the path; and if resources can be reserved in all the domains on the path as a result of the QoS guaranteeing resource request of the QoS guaranteeing resource request message, managing the resources for the obtained QoS guarantee on the path from the next domain to the domain where a destination network address belongs.

Abstract: A statistical value update unit calculates the fluctuation of measurement data. A filtering processing unit extracts a normal white noise component from the fluctuation of the measurement data using an adaptive lattice filter. A statistical test unit determines whether or not the variance of the normal white noise component is out of a predetermined scope in reference distribution. A change decision unit detects a stationary change of the status of a target system based on a detection ratio of an outlier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to distributing the load between the set routes among a plurality of routes between a communication apparatus which serves as a start point to another communication apparatus which serves as an end point. An apparatus provided in a router in a network collects traffic characteristics of transmission paths connected to the router, notifies other routers of the collected traffic characteristics, calculates load based on the collected traffic characteristics, decides based on the calculated load information whether or not a transmission path should be added or deleted, and equalizes the load among the plurality of transmission paths.

Abstract: The present invention provides a traffic information collecting device and method. A node in a communication network collects a first traffic information of a first link connected to an own node. And also the node receives second traffic information of second links connected to the other nodes. The second traffic information is transmitted from the other nodes. The node stores the first and second information. In consequence, the node can be informed of the conditions of the traffic of each link in the communication network based on the stored information. As the result, it becomes possible to control the load sharing in correspondence to the conditions of the traffic.

Abstract: An L bit for notifying another router of whether a self-router belongs to a connection-oriented network is newly provided in the options field of a conventional OSPF packet and the OSPF packet, including L bit is transmitted to another router. In this way, each router belonging a network can automatically recognize a router belonging to a connection-oriented network by detecting L bit. Then, by generating a routing tree, a connection-oriented network device can be identified in the routing tree and mapping between a connection-oriented network and a connectionless network can be performed in an edge device.

Abstract: A packet flow control apparatus performing flow control of packets each having variable length, includes: a buffer memory for temporarily accumulating arrived packets until a sending time of each packet; a counter updated based on a rate determined in accordance with a packet length calculated by a counter value of the counter and limited flow of packets; a sending time determining section for determining the sending time of each packet based on the counter value and a present time; and a sending order control section for managing a sending order of each packet accumulated in the buffer memory, and for sending a read instruction of each packet to the buffer memory, based on the sending time determined by the sending time determining section.

Abstract: In a storage management system and method which virtualizes a plurality of storage devices distributed over a network to be managed, a storage state manager, in a storage management server, manages a storage usage state in each storage device, a network state manager manages a traffic state of each network device, and a path searching/setup portion determines a storage data path to be set up in the network device based on the storage usage state and the traffic state. In a host, a virtualization mapper associates a storage space replied from the storage management server with a virtual storage, and a path information setup portion transmits/receives storage data with the storage data path.

Abstract: A transmission system, having a plurality of delivery server side routers which communicate with a plurality of delivery servers for delivering a content; and a client side router which communicates with a client device for receiving the content, is configured to include: a database for storing server load states of the plurality of delivery servers, and respective individual link load states for a plurality of delivery paths between the plurality of delivery server side routers and the client side router; and a path control unit for determining a minimum load state delivery path having a minimum load state among the plurality of delivery paths, based on sums of the server load states and the respective individual link load states stored in the database.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for selecting paths to route incoming traffic through a data communication network, which is capable of effectively dispersing the traffic load to the selected paths on the network and effectively optimizing the use of network resources. In a communication network, a plurality of label switched paths between an ingress node and an egress node are provided. Incoming traffic at the ingress node is labeled and delivered through the network to the egress node. In a method and apparatus for selecting paths to route the incoming traffic through the network, a plurality of forwarding equivalent class elements (FEC) of the incoming traffic at the ingress node are allocated for the plurality of label switched paths. The labeled traffic is delivered on the plurality of label switched paths on an FEC-element basis so as to route the labeled traffic through the network to the egress node.

Abstract: Included are a network information database for storing the statistical information collected from a router, a user request processing unit for accepting and processing a flow forwarding request from a user terminal connected to the network, a route control unit for searching for a route corresponding to the request from the user terminal by referring to the network information database, a load sharing control unit for executing such a load sharing process as to generate router setting information for sharing a transmission load of the network by referring to the network information database, and a router control unit for setting a router based on the route information determined by the route control unit and on the router setting information generated by the load sharing control unit.

Abstract: A boundary apparatus on the transmission side provided on the boundary between an IP network accommodating a transmitting terminal and an ATM network separates the requests for bandwidth which are received from receiving terminals via boundary apparatuses on the reception side into a plurality of groups on the basis of a required bandwidth, establishes a point-multipoint connection between the boundary apparatus on the transmission side and each of the boundary apparatuses on the reception side for each group, and transmits the data from the transmitting terminal to each of the receiving terminals via the connection.

Abstract: A wide area load sharing control system includes a statistic information gathering module obtaining from respective nodes, as statistic information, a traffic state of links connected to the respective nodes in a network, a route determining module determining, based on the obtained statistic information, at least one route for extending a plurality of paths between ingress edge nodes and egress edge nodes that correspond to within a traffic engineering section in the network, and a load sharing determining module determining, based on the obtained statistic information, a ratio at which a traffic should be distributed to respective paths on the determined route. Active modules among the statistic information gathering module, the route determining module and the load sharing determining module are switched over to between the ingress edge nodes and the network control device concentratedly controlling the respective nodes, mutually.

Abstract: In an ATM switching system, an ABR service is implemented with a specific ABR control capability. A subscriber line processing device includes calculating a turnaround delay time of a cell, based on a period during which the cell doubles back at a terminal. A switch or a demultiplexer capable of detecting congestion. A rate calculator calculates a transmission rate corresponding to an output channel, and writes the calculated rate to the cell. A rate changer changes the transmission rate according to congestion. The rate changer counts the number of communicating connections. Then the number of communicating connections which should exist in a certain predetermined period is estimated based on the counted number of communicating connections. A coefficient is determined based on the estimated number of communicating connections and an actual number of communicating connections, and a next estimated value is estimated using the coefficient.

Abstract: Control messages for securing a communication quality are exchanged via a dedicated connection within an ATM network when a sending terminal in an IP network delivers data to a receiving terminal in another IP network via the ATM network. A resource reservation message sent from the receiving terminal is parsed by a boundary device located at the boundary between the IP and the ATM network, and a data transfer connection is established within the ATM network based on the information of the resource reservation message.

Abstract: A load observation unit observes a load using each quality class buffer and the link (address management unit) accommodating quality class buffers. An ER computation unit computes an ER (explicit cell rate) for each quality class buffer. The ER can also be computed by the entire link. The ER computation unit defines the ER computed for the quality class buffer or the ER computed for the entire link, whichever is larger, as a first ER. Then, it compares the first ER with the MCR (minimum cell rate) set in the connection of the quality class buffer, and defines one of them whichever is larger as a second ER. Then, the value of the ER set in the ER field of the RM (resource management) cell arriving at the quality class buffer with the above described second ER, and the value whichever is smaller is set in the ER field of the RM cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a traffic information collecting device and method. A node in a communication network collects a first traffic information of a first link connected to an own node. And also the node receives second traffic information of second links connected to the other nodes. The second traffic information is transmitted from the other nodes. The node stores the first and second information. In consequence, the node can be informed of the conditions of the traffic of each link in the communication network based on the stored information. As the result, it becomes possible to control the load sharing in correspondence to the conditions of the traffic.