Abstract: A method for measuring the propagation time of data routing information in a data communication system including a data communication network which comprises a plurality of router nodes operating according to a routing protocol for routing data packets between nodes of the data communication network is disclosed. The method includes, at a router node referred to as the generator node: generating timestamp data for the transmission of data routing information; inserting the transmission timestamp data into a field of a routing protocol message carrying the data routing information, the field being intended to receive data relating to data routing; and sending the message to a different router node referred to as the receiver node.

Abstract: A method is provided of obtaining information representative of an availability of a communications network, which includes a plurality of equipment exchanging routing data in accordance with a routing protocol. The method includes a stage of storing in chronological order at least some of the routing data exchanged between at least one first equipment and at least one second equipment; a stage of totaling unavailability times as a function of the routing data stored in chronological order for a predetermined time period; a stage of obtaining the information representative of an availability for the time period as a function of the totaled unavailability times.

Abstract: A method is provided of obtaining information representative of an availability of a communications network, which includes a plurality of equipment exchanging routing data in accordance with a routing protocol. The method includes a stage of storing in chronological order at least some of the routing data exchanged between at least one first equipment and at least one second equipment; a stage of totaling unavailability times as a function of the routing data stored in chronological order for a predetermined time period; a stage of obtaining the information representative of an availability for the time period as a function of the totaled unavailability times.

Abstract: This method of managing malfunctions in a telecommunications network is implemented in a router having a plurality of communication interfaces and a nominal operational routing plan that is duplicated on its interfaces. The method comprises the following steps that are performed during nominal operation: a step of calculating a secondary operational routing plan for degraded modes of operation; and a step of transferring secondary plans to each of the interfaces; and in the event of a malfunction being detected, a step of causing all of the interfaces to switch from the nominal plan to a secondary plan that corresponds to the degraded mode of operation that results from the detected malfunction.

Abstract: This method of testing a router in a test environment that is isolated from an operational telecommunications network comprises initially collecting data from a node of said operational network by copying data packets being conveyed thereby, and then: a step of modifying collected data packets, this step comprising at least one substep of replacing the identity data of the original senders and receivers of the collected packets with identification data for senders and receivers in the test environment; and a step of testing the router and comprising at least one substep of routing modified data packets via said router in said test environment.

Abstract: This method of managing malfunctions in a telecommunications network is implemented in a router having a plurality of communication interfaces and a nominal operational routing plan that is duplicated on its interfaces. The method comprises the following steps that are performed during nominal operation: a step of calculating a secondary operational routing plan for degraded modes of operation; and a step of transferring secondary plans to each of the interfaces; and in the event of a malfunction being detected, a step of causing all of the interfaces to switch from the nominal plan to a secondary plan that corresponds to the degraded mode of operation that results from the detected malfunction.