Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a distributed connection management in an ATM network element with distributed connection control comprising a plurality of control units is disclosed. A managing unit receives a connection request for connecting a first and a second termination point, and determines control units in charge of the first and second termination points to be connected. The first and second termination point control units both store information about the first and second termination points and request connection between the first and second termination points.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for connection set-up in a communication system which comprises a plurality of first processing units, e.g. switching units, and a plurality of second processing units, and transmits information as a stream of information cells having cell identification. For reducing the number of messages in setting up connections, the first processing units are connected to the second processing units, and information cells are supplied to several processing units which distinguish between the cells based on the cell identification for further processing. The information is preferably ATM transmitted, and all first processing units are connected to all second processing units using virtual path connections on the ATM layer. The processing unit to which the information cell is directed is identified using virtual channel.

Abstract: A method and system for updating software in a network element of a telecommunication network the units of which are divided into an original side and testing side. The system includes a network element, having units that are logically divided into an original side and testing side, an original software for performing traffic transmitting tasks, and a new piece of software to be tested and/or introduced. At least one test connections is directed into the units of testing side loaded with the new piece of software, in order to be able to test the new piece of software.

Abstract: An incoming logical leg and an outgoing logical leg for a received call are defined using allocated identifications, and a switching operation for the received call is controlled on the basis of the incoming logical leg and the outgoing logical leg. Thus, physical resources of the switching network element are hidden from the visibility of the application layer and there is no need for different versions of applications in different switching techniques. Through switch connections through the switching network element thus consist of several subconnections terminated at service points where the payload and traffic parameters of the connection will change. The logical legs will change with the mobility of the user. The logical legs are managed by a leg control unit which controls the reservation of the service resources from corresponding resource management units and the cross-connection handling between the service points.