Abstract: A job is submitted into a first selection of resources in a grid environment from among a hierarchy of discrete sets of resources accessible in the grid environment. Discrete sets of resources may include locally accessible resources, enterprise accessible resources, capacity on demand resources, and grid resources. The performance of the first selection of resources is monitored and compared with a required performance level for the job. If the required performance level is not met, then the discrete sets of resources are queried for available resources to meet the required performance level in an order designated by said hierarchy. Available resources in a next discrete set of resource from the hierarchy of discrete sets of resources are added to a virtual organization of resources handling the job within the grid environment.

Abstract: Interworking an Ethernet Ring network with an Ethernet network with traffic engineered trunks (PBT network) enables traffic engineered trunks to be dual homed to the Ethernet ring network to enable for protection switching between active and backup trunk paths in the PBT network. In one embodiment, the active path will terminate at a first bridge node on the Ethernet ring network and the backup path will terminate at a second bridge node on the Ethernet ring network. Trunk state information is exchanged between the bridge nodes to enable the bridge nodes to determine which of the active and backup paths should be used to forward data on the trunk. Upon a change in trunk state, a flush message is transmitted on the Ethernet ring network to enable the nodes on the Ethernet ring network to relearn the path to the new responsible bridge node.

Abstract: A scalable system for verifying electronic circuit designs in anticipation of fabrication by compiling a hardware description to instructions for canvassing processors and instructions for circuit evaluation processors which are scalably interconnected to provide simulation and emulation, having deterministically scheduled transfer of circuit signal values among the large number of circuit evaluation processors.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are related in general to data flow control in a network and in particular to synchronous packet flow control in a ring interconnect. An embodiment of a method may include rejecting an arriving packet at a destination node on a semiconductor chip's ring interconnect, e.g., an unbuffered, synchronous ring interconnect, if all of the destination node's buffers are not available, leaving the rejected packet on the ring interconnect to continue traversing the ring, and accepting the rejected packet upon arrival at the destination node, if a buffer is available. In an alternate embodiment, a method may include tracking the rejected packet as the rejected packet traverses the ring interconnect. An embodiment of an apparatus may include a semiconductor chip having a bidirectional ring interconnect and multiple nodes coupled to the bidirectional ring interconnect.

Abstract: Sets of communication modules each have a pair of ring-channel ports for a ring-configured channel in a network, a peripheral device port for peripheral device data, and dual-ring ports for an inter-ring channel for the pair of modules. First and second ones of a set of communication modules send duplicate data packets on their respective first and second rings. Responsive to duplicate data packets arriving via the rings at first and second modules in a next set within a predetermined time interval of one another, each of the next modules transmits its ring-channel received data packet out a downstream ring-channel port. Responsive to one of the duplicate packets arriving at the DRP of a module a predetermined time interval before arriving at a ring-channel port of the module, the module sends the corresponding packet received at the DRP out its other ring-channel port and its peripheral device port.

Abstract: A node of a spanning tree system operating on a network connecting a plurality of nodes, comprises two transfer units which determines an output destination port, based on the destination MAC address of an input frame, two tree managers which configures a spanning tree according to a spanning tree protocol, and a virtual port of connecting the tree manager and the transfer unit.

Abstract: A communication node includes a token-start-right acquisition processor that issues a token-start-right acquisition frame containing specific information, determines a priority based on predetermined reference using specific information for other communication node and the specific information for the own communication node upon reception of a token-start-right acquisition frame from the other communication node, issues the token-start-right acquisition frame at a predetermined time interval when the own communication node has a higher priority than the other communication node, and stops issuing the token-start-right acquisition frame when the own communication node has a lower priority than the other communication node, to forward the token-start-right acquisition frame of the other communication node, and also includes a token start processor that passes the token frame to the ring upon reception of the token-start-right acquisition frame which is issued by the token-start-right acquisition processor and c

Abstract: In one embodiment, a node comprises an interface to communicatively couple the node to a plurality of independent communication links. The node changes the mode in which the node operates when the node receives an indicator on a plurality of the independent communication links.

Abstract: In an inter-ring connection method and device interconnecting a plurality of RPR rings, an inter-ring connecting device (interconnecting station) determines whether or not an RPR frame received from one ring is a broadcast frame; and resets, when the RPR frame determined to be the broadcast frame is relayed to another ring, a ttl of the frame so that a predetermined point between the inter-ring connection device itself and another identical inter-ring connection device opposed within a ring to be relayed is a cleave point. Also, topology information of the one ring is transmitted to another ring; topology information of each ring is held in a topology database; and an RPR frame is relayed (unicasted) between the rings by referring to the topology database based on a destination address of the RPR frame.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a load balanced circuit path between a source node and a destination node within a SONET ring comprising a plurality of nodes and connected by links by iteratively selecting facilities within a link that have bandwidth utilization levels that are below a threshold level. In an alternative embodiment, an alternate path is selected in case facilities meeting the threshold level can not be found. The threshold level is changed incrementally if facilities and links within the first path and/or alternate path do not meet the threshold levels.

Abstract: A controlling method and device for data transmission including the steps of providing a system bus for connecting a first transmission channel and a second transmission channel with a command processor, adjusting a transmitting direction of the system bus according to a transmitting direction of the second transmission channel, and proceeding the data processing procedures of the second transmission channel, wherein parts of data processing procedures of the first transmission channel will last during a interval between the system bus adjusting the transmitting direction and the data processing procedures of the second transmission channel start on. The present invention ensure that the independence between every data caching and processing reduces the times of flushing the cached data from the data transmission channel and re-seeking through the source, shortening the transmission time, increasing facileness and improving the efficiency of the data transmission.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a node comprises an interface to communicatively couple the node to a channel. The channel communicatively couples the node to a first neighbor node and first neighbor's neighbor node in a first direction. When the first neighbor node is scheduled to transmit and the node receives data from the first neighbor node via the channel, the node forwards the data to the first neighbor's neighbor, receives other data from the first neighbor's neighbor, compares the data to the other data, and relays the data along the channel with information indicative of the comparison.

Abstract: In a multi-ring network with a plurality of rings to which RPR is applied connected, high-speed failure recovery is enabled when a failure occurs between the rings. The contact nodes 700-1 and 700-3 connected to the living inter-link 505 periodically transmit and receive a KeepAlive signal to/from each other. Then, when a KeepAlive signal fails to arrive for a fixed time period, determination is made that the inter-link 505 develops a fault to broadcast-transmit an inter-link failure notification RPR-MAC frame indicative of failure occurrence on the inter-link to each node. A contact node as a transmission source of the inter-link failure notification RPR-MAC frame and each node having received the inter-link failure notification RPR-MAC frame immediately flush learning contents of their own learning data bases. A contact node connected to the spare inter-link 506 switches the spare inter-link 506 to a forwarding state.

Abstract: A method for automatically detecting bi-directional link switched ring link provisioning errors. The method includes receiving an opaque link state advertisement containing bi-directional link switched ring ID and link information at a local node of the ring and checking ring IDs of neighbor nodes of the local node. If the ring IDs of the local node and neighbor nodes do not match a ring ID mismatch alarm is raised.

Abstract: A communications system for transmitting packets includes a network. The system includes a plurality of P, PE and CE devices in communication with the network. The system includes a controller which creates an LSP through the PE devices defining a path such that the LSP starts and ends at the same PE node. A method for transmitting packets. The method includes the steps of creating an LSP through PE devices in communication with the network defining a path such that the LSP starts and ends at the same PE node. There is the step of sending the packets along the path.

Abstract: Explicit routing of network traffic over RPR rings using MPLS signaling techniques, including unnumbered links. A modified LSP_TUNNEL_INTERFACE_ID object is provided with a RPR IP address instead of the conventional LSR Router ID, and with a direction indicator in place of the conventional interface ID. A novel subobject is included in the ERO and RRO, which holds the RPR IP address of the sending node in place of the conventional router ID, and a direction indicator in place of the conventional interface ID. The network nodes inspect the directional indicator that is received in a path message or a Resv message to determine the direction in which traffic is to be sent and received in an explicit route.

Abstract: A system enabling inter-ring network connection when a plurality of ring networks are connected via a redundancy network, that is, a packet network system configured by a plurality of ring networks and redundancy networks linking the plurality of ring networks. This system virtually defines a plurality of virtual resilient packet ring networks among all of these packet networks and transfers packets on a designated virtual resilient packet ring network. Here, each virtual resilient packet ring network is identified by a virtual resilient packet ring network identifier allocated to each.

Abstract: A method of providing a data file that defines a modified SONET ring network including at least one sub-tending ring is disclosed. The method comprises identifying a set of low data rate sub-tending ring candidate traffic handling elements within a SONET ring network to be modified. For a first candidate element of the set of low speed sub-tending ring candidate traffic handling elements, the method includes evaluating selected characteristics of a first parent SONET UPSR ring with respect to adding the first candidate element sub-tending SONET ring. Based on a positive evaluation of each of the selected characteristics of the parent SONET ring, the method includes creating a data model that indicates addition of the first and subsequent candidate element sub-tending SONET ring to the parent SONET ring, and providing a data file based on the data model that defines a modified SONET ring network including the parent SONET ring(s) and the sub-tending SONET rings.

Abstract: Optimization of the Virtual Interface Architecture (VIA) on Multiprocessor Servers using Physically Independent Consolidated NICs (Network Interface Cards) allows for improved throughput, increased resiliency and transparent fail-over; and also by hiding the actual NICs involved in particular data transactions, enables operations with substantially unmodified applications software.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for enabling a local area network wiring structure to simultaneously carry digital data and analog telephone signals on the same transmission medium. It is particularly applicable to a network in star topology, in which remote data units (e.g. personal computers) are each connected to a hub through a cable comprising at least two pairs of conductors, providing a data communication path in each direction. Modules at each end of the cable provide a phantom path for telephony (voice band) signals between a telephone near the data set and a PBX, through both conductor pairs in a phantom circuit arrangement. All such communication paths function simultaneously and without mutual interference. The modules comprise simple and inexpensive passive circuit components.

Abstract: In an illustrative method for providing enhanced SONET network analysis, data related to the structure of a SONET network is identified, for example, in a database. The data comprises details regarding the network elements that form the SONET network as well as data regarding how the network elements are interconnected to form the SONET network. From the identified data, the nodes comprised in the SONET network are identified. Similarly, the plurality of communication links located between the identified nodes are retrieved from the data. Using the information identifying the nodes and plurality of communication links, a graphical representation of the SONET network is generated. In the graphical representation of the SONET network, nodes may be represented, for example, with a plurality of lines extending radially from a common point. Communication links between nodes are represented by lines that extend between the radial lines.

Abstract: A communication system utilizes point-to-multipoint wireless links between base stations and wireless hubs that are co-located at some of the base stations. Bonded circuits may be used between the wireless hubs and a communication ring. A mobile switching center is coupled to the communication ring. The base stations and the mobile switching center exchange user communications in the Ethernet format over the point-to-multipoint wireless links, bonded circuits, and the communication ring.

Abstract: A bridge node converts a MAC frame addressed to a station node into a RPR MAC frame and thus transmits it, and encapsulates a MAC frame addressed a station being located the outside of a ring and connected to other bridge node into the RPR MAC frame, and transmits it. The bridge node thereby receives a RPR MAC frame into which the MAC frame is encapsulated, and the station node receives the RPR MAC frame that the MAC frame is not encapsulated.

Abstract: A method and system provides the capability to provision Dual Working mode service in a SONET network, while maintaining compatibility with existing SONET provisioning systems. In one embodiment of the present invention, a method for provisioning dual working mode in a Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy network comprises the steps of generating provisioning commands to provision a non-dual working mode of operation in the Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy network, modifying the generated commands to indicate to a first network element that dual working mode is being provisioned, and transmitting the modified commands to provision the Synchronous Optical Network/Synchronous Digital Hierarchy network.

Abstract: A network or interconnect structure 100 utilizes a data flow technique that is based on timing and positioning of messages communicating through the interconnect structure. Switching control is distributed throughout multiple nodes 102 in the structure so that a supervisory controller providing a global control function and complex logic structures are avoided. The interconnect structure operates as a “deflection” or “hot potato” system in which processing and storage overhead at each node is minimized. Elimination of a global controller and buffering at the nodes greatly reduces the amount of control and logic structures in the interconnect structure, simplifying overall control components and network interconnect components 104 and improving speed performance of message communication.

Abstract: An apparatus including a first interface unit configured to perform frame communication processing with a ring network; a second interface unit configured to perform frame communication processing with a different network; a processing unit configured to convert a frame of a first format from the different network to a frame of a second format; a frame switching unit having at least one port connected to each of the first interface unit, the second interface unit and the processing unit and configured to switch the frame between ports; and a table configured to store frame identification information in correspondence with an output destination port identifier for an output port in the frame switching unit and frame conversion requirement information indicating whether conversion to the frame of the second format is required.

Abstract: A managed entity view framework and methods for obtaining configuration information, diagnostic information, and statistic information in support of operations management actions is presented. The method includes validating a managed entity viewing script template for execution on a target managed entity, retrieving target managed entity specific template parameter values, populating the managed entity viewing script template to derive a managed entity viewing script therefrom, and submitting the script for execution on the target managed entity. Managed entity viewing scripts are used to retrieve current information from corresponding target managed communications network entities whenever required. Upon receiving a trap at the NMS from a managed communications network entity, trap-directed managed entity viewing scripts are autonomously submitted for execution on the managed communications network entity to collect information for problem isolation and eventual resolution.

Abstract: A fibre channel switch element with an integrated fabric controller on a single chip is provided. The fabric controller including a processor module that can control various switch element functions; a serlizer/de-serializer for converting parallel data to serial data for transmission; an on-chip peripheral bus that allows communication between plural components and the processor module; a processor local bus and an interrupt controller that provides interrupts to the processor module. The integrated fabric controller also includes a flash controller and an external memory controller; an Ethernet controller; a Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (“UART”) module that performs serial to parallel conversion and vice-versa; an I2C module that performs serial to parallel and parallel to serial conversion; a general-purpose input/output interface; a real time clock module; an interrupt controller that can receive interrupts inputs from both internal and external sources; and a bridge to an internal PCI bus.

Abstract: In an optimum route calculation method of calculating an optimum route in a network which has a plurality of nodes and a plurality of transmission paths, and in which a cost is defined for each transmission path, an evaluation value is obtained on the basis of the maximum cost of each transmission path included in a determined route and a route to be evaluated and the number of hops from the determined route to the route to be evaluated. A route is determined on the basis of the evaluation value. A storage medium which stores the optimum route calculation program is also disclosed.

Abstract: A design structure is provided for a slotted ring network, in which a node may transmit a non-renewable slot reservation with any unreserved slot. The reservation restricts other nodes from transmitting a new packet in the slot. When the slot returns around the ring to the reserving node, the slot will be available. Preferably, reservation is made responsive to a starvation condition in the reserving node, which may be detected in any of various ways. In an optional enhancement, a reservation identifies the reserving node, and another node on the ring is free to transmit a new packet in the reserved slot if the new packet will reach its destination at or before the reserving node, and thus will not interfere with the reservation.

Abstract: A bridged network system (20). The bridged network system comprises a plurality of bridge nodes (N0-N7). Each bridge node in the plurality of bridge nodes is coupled to communicate with at least one other bridge node in the plurality of nodes. Further, bridge nodes in the plurality of bridge nodes are connected to one another to form a communications-possible line of bridge nodes (N0, N7, N6, N5, N1, N4, N3, N2). Each bridge node comprises circuitry for associating a bridge priority, selected from a plurality of bridge priorities, with the respective bridge node. The plurality of bridge priorities may be arranged in an ordered sequence, but the bridge priorities associated with successive bridge nodes along the communications-possible line of bridge nodes comprises at least two discontinuities (N0/N7; N1/N5; N1/N4) in the ordered sequence.

Abstract: To obtain ring-type network that is capable of sensing a change in the structure of a lower layer network when there is a change, and to obtain a fairness execution program for the ring-type network, which can implement the fairness function in a fine manner even in such case. Each of RPR devices of an RPR network includes a timer, and transmits a periodic transmission request of an LRTT control frame to an LRTT control frame transmitter via an arbitrating part so that the transmitter sends the LRTT control frame to each RPR device regularly. An LRTT control frame receiver receives the returned LRTT control frame, and a round trip propagation time calculator calculates round trip propagation time from a difference between the transmitted time and the received time, and gives the result to a fairness execution part. Thereby, a fine operation of the fairness function is secured.

Abstract: Connecting a new node to a double ring network or establishing a new network having a double ring network is greatly simplified by automatic mapping of logical interfaces to physical interfaces to conform to a mapping or polarity observed by other nodes in the network. A node may discover the network polarity via a message received from an adjacent node and, if necessary, invert the mapping between its two logical interfaces and two physical interfaces. This facilitates installation by relaxing the requirement that the correct media pair be connected to the correct node physical interface. Nodes equipped with this automatic side selection capability may interoperate with nodes that are not so-equipped.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for integrating ring-protocol-compatible devices into network configurations that also include non-ring-protocol-compatible devices are disclosed. One such method, which can be performed by a network node that supports a ring protocol, involves generating a ring protocol packet and sending that ring protocol packet to a neighboring node. The ring protocol packet includes information, and the presence of this information within the packet causes a network device that receives the ring protocol packet to drop the ring protocol packet unless the network device supports a ring protocol. The information can include a reserved address (e.g., in the destination address field of the packet) as well as a ring protocol identifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assigning an IP address, in a modular network system, to at least one client premise equipment device coupled by a communications link to a router, wherein the last octet of said IP address may be one of at least three different values.

Abstract: In one embodiment, one or more self checking pairs are implemented at the application layer in a network that supports the qualified propagation of data at the transport layer (for example, in a network having a braided ring topology).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for minimizing starvation of a station in a ring networked environment includes allocating a tax to each of the stations in the ring, and, for each packet that is to be transited though the ring, providing bandwidth to the station in the form of a tax packet, which allows the station to have ring access.

Abstract: A network device (10) communicates with other network devices with a plurality of loops, and includes a plurality of virtual ringing groups, a plurality of Ringer Equivalency Number (REN) loads (106), a receiving module (100), an assigning module (102), and a ringing module (104). Each virtual ringing group rings during an individually fixed ringing time interval. The REN loads are for generating ringing signals, and the number of REN loads is less than that of the loops. The receiving module receives a calling signal, and transmits the calling signal to one of the loops. The assigning module assigns the calling signal to one of the virtual ringing groups. The ringing module assigns one REN load to the loop with the calling signal according to the assigned virtual ringing group. A load assigning method is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides for a method for reserving spare bandwidth for a link in a communication network including a plurality of links. The method provides for monitoring the volume of traffic routed through each link of the communication network. A single link failure for each link is then simulated and one volume of traffic which would be rerouted through each link for maintaining communication and the volume of traffic removed from each link are determined for each simulated single link failure. The difference between the volume of traffic which would need to be rerouted through each link and the corresponding volume of traffic removed from each link is then computed, and a maximum difference value is determined for each link for all simulated single link failures. An amount of spare bandwidth equivalent to the determined maximum difference is then reserved for each link.

Abstract: A multi-port Serdes transceiver includes multiple parallel ports and serial ports, and includes the flexibility to connect any one of the parallel ports to another parallel port or to a serial port, or both. Furthermore, the multi-port transceiver chip can connect any one of serial ports to another serial port or to one of the parallel ports. The substrate layout of the multi-port Serdes transceiver chip is configured so that the parallel ports and the serial ports are on the outer perimeter of the substrate. A logic core is at the center of the substrate, where the logic core operates the serial and parallel data ports, and the bus that connects the data ports. The bus can be described as a “ring” structure (or donut “structure”) around the logic core, and is configured between the logic core and the data ports. The ring structure of the bus provides efficient communication between the logic core and the various data ports.

Abstract: Described is a method extending the OAM functionality in the RPR networks through a new OAM loopback procedure of request-reply type together with the definition of a new RPR OAM loopback frame. The OAM loopback function allows any RPR station to check the reachability of another RPR station. It is not necessary to stop any data traffic communication on the network in order to perform this function.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a squelch table for optical network applications. The method includes receiving a first cross-connection entry associated with a first cross-connection and a first channel, and generating a first squelch entry associated with the first channel in a first squelch table associated with a first node. Additionally, the method includes sending a first request message associated with the first cross-connection to a second node. Moreover, the method includes if a first response message associated with the first cross-connection is received at the first node in response to the first request message within a predetermined period of time, processing information associated with the first response message and modifying the first squelch entry in response to at least information associated with the first response message.

Abstract: A system and method for maximization of the global throughput of packet transport networks via traffic-load-adaptive TDM or WDM channelization. Architecturally the packet transport network is formed of logical packet transport buses that are configured in the network for transport of packets to one of the nodes of the network from the other nodes of the network. Each logical packet transport bus is dynamically channelized to create an adaptive full mesh connectivity among the nodes in the network, such that the capacity of each connection in the mesh is continuously optimized according to real-time inbound traffic patterns at the packet transport network, thereby globally optimizing the throughput of the network. The dynamic channelization of each bus is done under the control of its destination node based on the demand for transport capacity towards it presented by the individual nodes in the meshed packet transport network.

Abstract: A method for managing nodes in a network includes assigning to a cycle set a cycle having a size of n, the preferred maximum nodes per cycle, or smaller. If this cycle set does not include the all of the nodes in the network, the method includes increasing n by one and assigning to the cycle set a cycle that accesses at least one of the nodes not currently in the cycle set and has a size n, until the cycle set includes all of the nodes in the network. The method further includes moving from the cycle set to a final set a cycle that accesses a node that is accessed by only that particular cycle. If this final set does not include all of the nodes in the network, the method includes moving a remaining cycle from the cycle set to the final set wherein the remaining cycle carries a largest intracycle traffic among cycles in the cycle set, until the final set includes all of the nodes in the network.

Abstract: A network device includes a media access control (MAC) device that transmits a first data stream at a first data rate that includes symbols having M bits. A translator converts the first data stream to a second data stream at a second data rate. The translator includes a data appender that appends N bits to the symbols in the first data stream to generate second symbols having M+N bits. A data duplicator duplicates the second symbols X times to produce the second data stream at the second data rate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a node device for connecting a plurality of networks. The node device comprises a plurality of input units for respectively inputting data from first transmission lines installed in each of the networks, a plurality of output units for respectively outputting data to second transmission lines installed in each of the networks, and a switching unit for switching the data input from the input units to the output units. The input unit that inputs data from a transmission line shared by the networks among the first transmission lines has a higher transmission speed than other input units.

Abstract: A wireless communications network topology and its implementation enable the wireless network implementing the topology to be sufficiently robust to avoid or mitigate the consequences of various node failures. The inventive network topology includes a triangular ring mesh, preferably constituting a flower topology in its entirety. For each node in a given layer of stations, at least two links are provided, one to each of two selected nodes in an adjacent layer of stations.

Abstract: The invention concerns a computer software product comprising a plurality of peers (2?, 4, 5) adapted to participate in a peer-to-peer network where the computer software product comprises detection means for detecting actual presence information of a peer and where the computer software product comprises retrieval means for retrieving actual information about the peer, where the detection means is located on neighbour partner peer (4) of the peer (5) for detecting continuously whether the peer provides still actual information and the computer software product comprises propagation means for outdating the information about this peer in case of detecting that the peer is not alive. The invention further concerns a network device and a method therefore.

Abstract: An apparatus is adapted to configure a virtual communication device that includes communication devices accessible to the apparatus. A signal interface receives from a calling communication device information data including first and second content parts, and an information separating unit separates the first and second content parts of the information data. A DMF unit identifies communication attributes of the communication devices accessible thereto and identifies the communication devices capable of processing information corresponding to at least one of the first and second content parts.

Abstract: An appropriate ring topology is selected by searching network topology information on the basis of given information about client signal paths on a predetermined condition, and a wavelength ring accommodating the client signal paths and having an optimal transmission characteristic is designed on the basis of the selected ring topology. Accordingly, accommodation of client signal paths in an optical network is efficiently designed.