Abstract: A policy server is arranged to construct device-neutral policies for configuring CBR for MPLS traffic engineering across a network. The policy server translates the device-neutral policies into device-specific commands (e.g. link attribute definitions and affinity profiles). The policy server defines the link attributes, assigns the link attributes to network interfaces, establishes affinity profiles and attaches the affinity profiles to MPLS tunnels. The link attribute definitions and affinity profiles are shared across the network to construct the policies such that IP operators can configure CBR easily across a network.

Abstract: A method distributes connection admission control. Traffic flows are distributed locally at network nodes based on determined path weights and dynamic link costs. A traffic source node is sent a back-off signal if a distributing node becomes congested. A received request to admit a new traffic flow to the communications network is admitted if the node receiving the request has not received a back-off signal, and is rejected if the node receiving the request has received a back-off signal and fails to redistribute its traffic flows. Distributed connection admission control is allowed in which only local events need to be monitored to decide whether to admit a new traffic flow or not.

Abstract: A policy server operates to configure differentiated services over multi-protocol label switching (Diffserv/MPLS) in a communications network. The policy server enables the definition and deployment of a customer policy, a network policy and a mapping policy. The policy server is arranged to create a group of MPLS tunnels, and associate the tunnels to the mapping policy and the customer policy. The customer policy includes a tunnel group identifier and a tunneling mode, and maps customer traffic to MPLS tunnels. The policy server translates the customer policy, the network policy and the mapping policy into device-specific commands, and then deploys the device-specific commands to the network interfaces of the affected network devices.

Abstract: A method distributes connection admission control. Traffic flows are distributed locally at network nodes based on determined path weights and dynamic link costs. A traffic source node is sent a back-off signal if a distributing node becomes congested. A received request to admit a new traffic flow to the communications network is admitted if the node receiving the request has not received a back-off signal, and is rejected if the node receiving the request has received a back-off signal and fails to redistribute its traffic flows. Distributed connection admission control is allowed in which only local events need to be monitored to decide whether to admit a new traffic flow or not.

Abstract: A policy server is arranged to construct device-neutral policies for configuring CBR for MPLS traffic engineering across a network. The policy server translates the device-neutral policies into device-specific commands (e.g. link attribute definitions and affinity profiles). The policy server defines the link attributes, assigns the link attributes to network interfaces, establishes affinity profiles and attaches the affinity profiles to MPLS tunnels. The link attribute definitions and affinity profiles are shared across the network to construct the policies such that IP operators can configure CBR easily across a network.

Abstract: A policy server operates to configure differentiated services over multi-protocol label switching (Diffserv/MPLS) in a communications network. The policy server enables the definition and deployment of a customer policy, a network policy and a mapping policy. The policy server is arranged to create a group of MPLS tunnels, and associate the tunnels to the mapping policy and the customer policy. The customer policy includes a tunnel group identifier and a tunneling mode, and maps customer traffic to MPLS tunnels. The policy server translates the customer policy, the network policy and the mapping policy into device-specific commands, and then deploys the device-specific commands to the network interfaces of the affected network devices.