Abstract: A network element includes a processing system for supporting inter-area data transfer paths which are Border Gateway Protocol load sharing data paths. The processing system maintains usage attributes expressing whether a given inter-area data transfer path is to be used for servicing a given traffic category. The processing system recognizes a traffic category of a data frame to be forwarded on the basis of for example the Quality-of-Service class of the data frame. Thereafter, the processing system selects one of the inter-area data transfer paths at least partly on the basis of the usage attributes and the recognized traffic category, and forwards the data frame to the selected inter-area data transfer path. Therefore, Border Gateway Protocol load sharing can be utilized for providing for example Quality-of-Service class differentiated traffic engineering.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing virtual private network (VPN) services between two or more Autonomic Systems (AS). An aggregation edge router (ASBR) is provided in two or more autonomous systems (Asx,Asy). The aggregation edge routers are configured such that routing peering between the two or more autonomous systems is done between the aggregation edge routers in these autonomous systems. Each aggregation edge router is a routing peer of other edge routers (PE) in its own autonomous system. The Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network is used between the different autonomous systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates to providing virtual private network (VPN) services between two or more Autonomic Systems (AS). An aggregation edge router (ASBR) is provided in two or more autonomous systems (Asx,Asy). The aggregation edge routers are configured such that routing peering between the two or more autonomous systems is done between the aggregation edge routers in these autonomous systems. Each aggregation edge router is a routing peer of other edge routers (PE) in its own autonomous system. The Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) network is used between the different autonomous systems.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for transmitting packet switched control data traffic between a base station (NodeB) of a third generation (3G) mobile communication network and a network management station. In the system according to the invention, an IP-VPN virtual network is used to isolate essentially the control data traffic between a base station (301) of a third generation (3G) mobile communication network (301) and a network management station (305) from other data transfer transmitted in the data transfer network.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for scheduling transmission-link capacity between packet-switched telecommunications flows, in such a way that it is possible to guarantee that packets representing delay-critical traffic will be scheduled to the transmission link (S0) before packets representing non-delay-critical traffic and, in addition, that it is possible to limit the joint transmission speed of specific service-quality classes of an individual customer flow. The invention is based on the service-quality classes being separated into two different categories: a service-quality-class based scheduling branch (C) and a customer-flow based scheduling branch (F).