Abstract: A technique for handling mobile terminating calls in a distributed switch is described. The switch includes at least one cluster wherein the at least one cluster comprises a plurality of cluster members. Each cluster member is associated with a set of roaming numbers and adapted to route a mobile terminating call to either a recipient subscriber served by the cluster member or to another cluster member which serves the recipient subscriber. The at least one cluster further comprises a first data structure having a content that is common to and accessible by all the cluster members of the cluster. The first data structure specifies the plurality of cluster members and the roaming number set associated with each cluster member.

Abstract: A method of controlling forwarding of IP data packets through a service network. An IP data packet including an original source port number enters the network through a gateway node. A controller defines a path allocated to a service type through a forwarding node and a service-providing server allocated to the network; allocates an identifier to the service type; provides path-related forwarding rules to the forwarding node based on the identifier; and provides to the gateway node, the service-type identifier and a mapping rule between the identifier and the service type. The gateway node receives the IP data packet and determines which service type the IP data packet refers to; replaces the original source port number with a source port number encoding the identifier of the determined service type based on the mapping rule; and provides the IP data packet to the forwarding node for forwarding on the path.

Abstract: A technique for handling mobile terminating calls in a distributed switch is described. The switch includes at least one cluster wherein the at least one cluster comprises a plurality of cluster members. Each cluster member is associated with a set of roaming numbers and adapted to route a mobile terminating call to either a recipient subscriber served by the cluster member or to another cluster member which serves the recipient subscriber. The at least one cluster further comprises a first data structure having a content that is common to and accessible by all the cluster members of the cluster. The first data structure specifies the plurality of cluster members and the roaming number set associated with each cluster member.