Abstract: An edge router receives datagrams to be forwarded an SVC. If the SVC is not already set up, the edge router buffers the datagrams until the SVC set up is complete. The buffered datagrams are forwarded once the SVC set up is complete. According to another aspect of the present invention, different buffering requirements are supported for different user applications. A policy table may be configured by a service provider specifying the requirements associated with potentially each flow (e.g., combination of source/destination IP addresses, source/destination port number), and the datagram on each flow may be buffered accordingly.

Abstract: The bandwidth of a virtual circuit is changed when the aggregate bandwidth available on path(s) to an adjacent ATM device (through which the VC is provided) changes. The change of bandwidth may be implemented by changing the QoS parameters associated with the virtual circuits. Thus, for example, when one of the paths becomes non-operational, the bandwidth of a virtual circuit may be reduced in a fair manner.

Abstract: Setting up a group of virtual circuits using a single set up message request. In an embodiment, fewer than all of the virtual circuits in the group are immediately provisioned, and the remaining virtual circuits are placed in an inactive status by appropriate configuration of all the devices in the path of the group of virtual circuits. Each of the inactive virtual circuits can be activated (complete provisioning) as and when required. The bandwidth overhead on the networks is reduced as fewer signaling messages would be used in provisioning several virtual circuits. The parsing overhead is reduced on the devices processing the signaling messages as a result.

Abstract: A switch may be configured to support a point-to-multi-point PVC which can be used to support a point to multi-point application. The signaling overhead is reduced due to the use of PVC, and the available bandwidth is used efficiently due to the use of the point-to-multi-point connection. Another aspect of the present invention minimizes the resources required while providing such point-to-multi-point virtual connections. A switch may minimize allocation of resources to branches that are not active. For example, a switch may determine that a branch is inactive based on the absence of reception of OAM cells in a specified duration and delete the forwarding information for the inactive branch. The switch may thus scale to support many point-to-multi-point virtual circuits having many branches.

Abstract: Management method and system of low power consuming devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes monitoring a heartbeat signal of a device communicated through a network, and communicating with the device upon processing the heartbeat signal of the device. In another embodiment, a system includes one or more devices to individually generate a heartbeat signal and a control point to communicate with each of the devices based on the heartbeat signal processed through the control point.

Abstract: The services offered (e.g., bandwidth) by a PVC can be changed, potentially as and when desired. An end system (of a PVC) may send a request to initiate a change of a service. Each intermediate system may first determine whether the service change can be supported, and passes the request to the next system in the path until the request is received by the other end system of the PVC. Assuming the other end system also can support the change, an acceptance response is propagated in the reverse direction of the same path. Each system may effect the service change upon receiving the acceptance response.

Abstract: An edge router receives datagrams to be forwarded an SVC. If the SVC is not already set up, the edge router buffers the datagrams until the SVC set up is complete. The buffered datagrams are forwarded once the SVC set up is complete. According to another aspect of the present invention, different buffering requirements are supported for different user applications. A policy table may be configured by a service provider specifying the requirements associated with potentially each flow (e.g., combination of source/destination IP addresses, source/destination port number), and the datagram on each flow may be buffered accordingly.

Abstract: An edge router receives datagrams to be forwarded an SVC. If the SVC is not already set up, the edge router buffers the datagrams until the SVC set up is complete. The buffered datagrams are forwarded once the SVC set up is complete. According to another aspect of the present invention, different buffering requirements are supported for different user applications. A policy table may be configured by a service provider specifying the requirements associated with potentially each flow (e.g., combination of source/destination IP addresses, source/destination port number), and the datagram on each flow may be buffered accordingly.

Abstract: A router providing differentiated services while transporting Internet Protocol (IP) packets on an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone. A network administrator may specify multiple precedence values (in the type of service (TOS) portion of an IP header) associated with each SVC (set up with desired QOS). IP packets with the specified precedence values are transported on the associated SVC. By associating different precedence values with different SVC and configuring different SVCs with different QOS, differentiated services may be provided to IP packets.

Abstract: Setting up a group of virtual circuits using a single set up message request. In an embodiment, fewer than all of the virtual circuits in the group are immediately provisioned, and the remaining virtual circuits are placed in an inactive status by appropriate configuration of all the devices in the path of the group of virtual circuits. Each of the inactive virtual circuits can be activated (complete provisioning) as and when required. The bandwidth overhead on the networks is reduced as fewer signaling messages would be used in provisioning several virtual circuits. The parsing overhead is reduced on the devices processing the signaling messages as a result.

Abstract: A network device (e.g., network access server or home gateway) providing different QOS (quality of services) to different layer-3 datagrams when transporting on tunnels. A tunnel may be implemented to provide different QOS to different packets depending on the packet header. The network device examines the header of each datagram to determine the specific QOS to be provided. At least the data portion in the datagram is encapsulated for transportation on the tunnel. The encapsulated data portion in turn is encapsulated in the form of one or more packets, with the packet format to reflect the QOS determined for the datagram. When the tunnel is implemented on UDP/IP and the datagram is an IP (Internet protocol) datagram, the TOS/Precedence bits of the IP datagram may be copied into the precedence/TOS bits of the UDP/IP packet(s).

Abstract: Data related to multiple point-to-point sessions is transmitted on a single virtual circuit of a ATM based network. In an embodiment implemented in accordance with ATM Adaptation Layer 2 (AAL2), the data related to each session is transported on a channel of the AAL2 virtual circuit. As the intermediate devices in the virtual circuit path merely need to maintain tables for one virtual circuit, the overhead on the devices may be minimized. By assigning data of a session to a channel provided by an adaptation layer, addition fields or higher level protocols may not be needed to transport the data related to the sessions.

Abstract: An aggregation device providing different QOS to different point-to-point sessions. Multiple virtual circuits, each to provide different QOS, may be provisioned. The aggregation device may be configured to indicate the desired QOS for each point-to-point session and the data related to each point-to-point session may be assigned to a virtual circuit providing the closest matching QOS. Alternatively, a service provider may statically specify the specific virtual circuit on which the data related to a specific point-to-point session is to be transmitted. Each point-to-point session receives a QOS provided by the assigned virtual circuit. As the content of each datagram received on a point-to-point session may not need to be examined for the purpose of assignment to a virtual circuit, an aggregation device may forward datagrams quickly.