Abstract: Disclosed example operations involve provisioning a pool of communication capacity in a network link, the pool of communication capacity including spare capacity; allocating from the spare capacity a reserve service communication capacity requested in a connection setup message associated with a first user, the reserve service communication capacity being available to accommodate an increase of communications associated with a first service connection for the first user; and while the reserve service communication capacity is allocated for the first service connection for the first user, provisioning the reserve service communication capacity to be available for restoration capacity associated with a second service connection for at least a second user.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that assures component circuits transported in aggregated circuits restore correctly after an aggregated circuit fault. The system and method implements component circuit tail segment integrity checks whenever an aggregated circuit is restored in a higher level of a network hierarchy. Switches at both ends of an aggregated circuit perform circuit integrity checks of the tail segments of every component circuit. A failure of the component circuit integrity check on any component circuit causes that component circuit to be released and restored end-to-end.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to restoration of services in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a scheme for randomized selection of equal cost links during restoration in a communication network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for restoring services. The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that assures component circuits transported in aggregated circuits restore correctly after an aggregated circuit fault. The system and method implements component circuit tail segment integrity checks whenever an aggregated circuit is restored in a higher level of a network hierarchy. Switches at both ends of an aggregated circuit perform circuit integrity checks of the tail segments of every component circuit. A failure of the component circuit integrity check on any component circuit causes that component circuit to be released and restored end-to-end.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to provide a multicast virtual private network (MVPN) are disclosed. An example method includes sending a multicast receiver route received from one of a multicast service processor or a provider edge router to another of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router, wherein the multicast service processor is communicatively coupled to the provider edge router via a multicast control plane topology that is non-congruent to a unicast control plane topology, and replicating multicast data received from the other of the multicast service processor or the provider edge router to the one of the provider edge router or the multicast service processor based on the multicast receiver route.

Abstract: Disclosed example operations involve provisioning a pool of communication capacity in a network link, the pool of communication capacity including spare capacity; allocating from the spare capacity a reserve service communication capacity requested in a connection setup message associated with a first user, the reserve service communication capacity being available to accommodate an increase of communications associated with a first service connection for the first user; and while the reserve service communication capacity is allocated for the first service connection for the first user, provisioning the reserve service communication capacity to be available for restoration capacity associated with a second service connection for at least a second user.

Abstract: A method and a system for allocating restoration capacity in a network link in a communications network provides that a common pool of communication capacity is provisioned in a network link, such that the common pool of communication capacity includes spare capacity for new service and restoration capacity. A pool of pre-allocated communication capacity for future growth of at least one connection in the network link is also provisioned. The pool of pre-allocated communication capacity for future growth is available for restoration capacity, but not for spare capacity for new service. The communications network can be, for example, a private line (PL) network, a SONET-based network, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)-based network, an Internet Protocol/MultiProtocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS)-based network or a frame relay (FR)-based network.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for network multicasting using hierarchical replication are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to send multicast data associated with a source to a plurality of receivers in a network comprises replicating the multicast data received at a first network node, the multicast data received via a first unicast path, the first network node being associated with a first hierarchical level of a replication hierarchy, sending copies of the multicast data to a plurality of network nodes associated with a second hierarchical level of the replication hierarchy via second unicast paths, and replicating a copy of the multicast data received via one of the second unicast paths at a second network node to send the multicast data via a third unicast path for receipt by a receiver in the plurality of receivers, the second network node being in the plurality of network nodes associated with the second hierarchical level.

Abstract: A method and system for routing traffic in an IP network using OSPF protocols and including core and hub routers in area zero. The core and hub routers are assigned different node signatures depending on whether the router is a core router or a hub router and link signatures match the node signatures. Internode traffic (core to core, hub to core, and hub to hub) is configured with routing algorithms separately for node and link network segments for which node and link signatures include core signatures as well as those of the internode pair selected. The OSPF routing for the separate network segments is then used to route traffic over the network. An IP network so configured will not route core traffic over hub links during periods of core element failure or downtime, and suffer packet loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to restoration of services in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a scheme for randomized selection of equal cost links during restoration in a communication network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for restoring services. The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to restoration of services in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a scheme for randomized selection of equal cost links during restoration in a communication network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for restoring services. The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that assures component circuits transported in aggregated circuits restore correctly after an aggregated circuit fault. The system and method implements component circuit tail segment integrity checks whenever an aggregated circuit is restored in a higher level of a network hierarchy. Switches at both ends of an aggregated circuit perform circuit integrity checks of the tail segments of every component circuit. A failure of the component circuit integrity check on any component circuit causes that component circuit to be released and restored end-to-end.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that assures component circuits transported in aggregated circuits restore correctly after an aggregated circuit fault. The system and method implements component circuit tail segment integrity checks whenever an aggregated circuit is restored in a higher level of a network hierarchy. Switches at both ends of an aggregated circuit perform circuit integrity checks of the tail segments of every component circuit. A failure of the component circuit integrity check on any component circuit causes that component circuit to be released and restored end-to-end.

Abstract: Switches within a telecommunications network exchange so-called available bandwidth messages, each of which advertises how much bandwidth remains unassigned on a respective link. The network is of a type in which circuits are provisioned with various predefined numbers of time slots (equivalent to bandwidth). The sending of an available bandwidth message for a given link is triggered by a change in the number of time slots available on that link if that change results in a change in the number of circuit bandwidths that can be accommodated by that link for a newly provisioned circuit.

Abstract: Switches within a telecommunications network exchange so-called available bandwidth messages, each of which advertises how much bandwidth remains unassigned on a respective link. The network is of a type in which circuits are provisioned with various predefined numbers of time slots (equivalent to bandwidth). The sending of an available bandwidth message for a given link is triggered by a change in the number of time slots available on that link if that change results in a change in the number of circuit bandwidths that can be accommodated by that link for a newly provisioned circuit.

Abstract: A method and system for routing traffic in an IP network using OSPF protocols and including core and hub routers in area zero. The core and hub routers are assigned different node signatures depending on whether the router is a core router or a hub router and link signatures match the node signatures. Internode traffic (core to core, hub to core, and hub to hub) is configured with routing algorithms separately for node and link network segments for which node and link signatures include core signatures as well as those of the internode pair selected. The OSPF routing for the separate network segments is then used to route traffic over the network. An IP network so configured will not route core traffic over hub links during periods of core element failure or downtime, and suffer packet loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to routing of circuits in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a method and an apparatus for routing circuits using dynamic self-adjusting link weights within a network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for routing circuits with dynamic self-adjusting link weights in a SCN (Switched Communication Network). The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed that assures component circuits transported in aggregated circuits restore correctly after an aggregated circuit fault. The system and method implements component circuit tail segment integrity checks whenever an aggregated circuit is restored in a higher level of a network hierarchy. Switches at both ends of an aggregated circuit perform circuit integrity checks of the tail segments of every component circuit. A failure of the component circuit integrity check on any component circuit causes that component circuit to be released and restored end-to-end.

Abstract: A method and a system for allocating restoration capacity in a network link in a communications network provides that a common pool of communication capacity is provisioned in a network link, such that the common pool of communication capacity includes spare capacity for new service and restoration capacity. A pool of pre-allocated communication capacity for future growth of at least one connection in the network link is also provisioned. The pool of pre-allocated communication capacity for future growth is available for restoration capacity, but not for spare capacity for new service. The communications network can be, for example, a private line (PL) network, a SONET-based network, an Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)-based network, an Internet Protocol/MultiProtocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS)-based network or a frame relay (FR)-based network.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to restoration of low priority services in a network. More particularly, the invention encompasses a method and an apparatus for delaying the start of the restoration of low priority services in a communication network. The invention further includes multiple schemes for restoring low priority services. The network could consist of optical, ATM, FR, or IP/MPLS switches and cross-connects.