Abstract: In a connection management system for setting up connections in a communications network, run-time negotiation is carried out to avoid feature interaction. Users of the network are provided with user agents (intelligent software) which have access to user profiles. When a calling user wants to set up a particular connection configuration, which may involve service features such as ring back later on busy, their user agent sends a connection configuration proposal to the user agent for a called user. The two user agents then negotiate to establish a mutually acceptable connection configuration, if one is available. The negotiation is based on alternative connection configurations stored in order of preference in the respective user profiles. These are proposed and counter-proposed by the user agents in descending preference order until the mutually acceptable configuration is reached or the connection fails.

Abstract: In a brokering system for items of software or data, submission inputs are made to a database. Each submission input includes a descriptive data set in relation to a unit of data or software, together with an address field. The brokering system loads the submission input to the database and copies it to temporary stores identified in the address field. Each temporary data store is allocated to a respective index management interface and is viewable to that index management interface only. Inputs can be made at the index management interface to transfer the descriptive data sets received to an index accessible by a plurality of search interfaces, or simply to delete the descriptive data set from the temporary data store.

Abstract: A network management system for a communications network include management function software accessible to one or more workstations and incorporating a data store for management information. The network management system is structured to accommodate a layered model of the network and pays particular attention to the Service Management Layer/Network Management Layer interface. In fault and test management, the network management system incorporates elements to apply constraints, feature agreements, which elements then determine diagnosis and reporting procedures in response to fault or performance report or test inputs to the system. The system can be used to manage specific services, such as flexible bandwidth services, carried by selected network technology, such as Asynchronous Transfer Mode switching.