Abstract: An edge router receives datagrams to be forwarded an SVC. If the SVC is not already set up, the edge router buffers the datagrams until the SVC set up is complete. The buffered datagrams are forwarded once the SVC set up is complete. According to another aspect of the present invention, different buffering requirements are supported for different user applications. A policy table may be configured by a service provider specifying the requirements associated with potentially each flow (e.g., combination of source/destination IP addresses, source/destination port number), and the datagram on each flow may be buffered accordingly.

Abstract: A router device and a cut-through path control method capable of carrying out the load balancing at an intermediate router device which actually has a multi-path information, without requiring a special processing at the edge router are disclosed. At a router device at which multi-path exists, one router among a plurality of routers that can possibly be a next hop router is selected so as to contribute to a load balancing, according to a whole or a prescribed part of information regarding a state of cut-through path set up in which the router device is involved, at a time of setting up a cut-through path in the multi-path, and a prescribed control for setting up the cut-through path with that one router as the next hop router is carried out.

Abstract: A method for restoring a virtual path, provisioned between a source and a target node, in a zoned mesh optical network is described. The method, in one embodiment, allocates a primary and a secondary physical path to the virtual path. The two physical paths are network element and link disjoint. In case of a failure in one physical path, the end nodes switch the virtual path to the other physical path.

Abstract: One embodiment of the disclosures made herein is a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM) adapted for facilitating DSLAM-hosted information storage functionality. In accordance with such embodiment, the DSLAM includes a storage apparatus and a storage management apparatus. The storage management apparatus is adapted for enabling data storage functionality to be facilitated between a subscriber data processing system and the storage apparatus.

Abstract: A method for generating charging information in a communication system is disclosed. The method includes providing a gateway with information regarding a time zone of a user equipment provided with network access by an access entity. The method also includes providing a service for the user equipment via the access entity and the gateway and generating charging information based on the information regarding the time zone for charging for the service.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for parallel compression and decompression of a bitstream. For compression, the bitstream is separated into a plurality of components, and the components are encoded using a compression algorithm. Packets are then constructed from the encoded components. At least one packet is associated with each encoded component and comprises header information and encoded data. The packets are combined into a packetized encoded bitstream. For decompression, the packets are separated from the packetized encoded bitstream using the header information. The packets are then decoded in parallel using a decompression algorithm to recover the encoded data. The plurality of components are reconstructed from the recovered encoded data and combined to-recover the bitstream.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an apparatus for coordinating merging of packets for one or more virtual circuits (VGs). Each packet of a VC comprising a sequence of cells terminates with an end of packet (EOP) cell. The apparatus comprises one or more buffers, a buffer controller, and a merge processor. Each buffer is configured to receive cells of an associated VC and a threshold value based on traffic of the VC. When a number of cells of a packet in a buffer exceeds the corresponding dynamic threshold value, a corresponding flag of the buffer is set. The buffer controller is configured to drop all cells of the current packet in response to a set flag of a corresponding buffer. The merge processor services each buffer in accordance with a scheduling method to transfer one or more packets from each buffer to an output packet stream.

Abstract: A technique for address registration and resolution is disclosed. In one embodiment, the technique is realized by an address registration and resolution service that is applicable to in-band in-fiber, out-of-band in-fiber and out-of-band out-of-fiber O-UNI signaling configurations. Through this address registration and resolution scheme, an optical service subscriber or optical access service provider can register various client-layer addresses (i.e., establish an association between the client addresses and the optical network points of attachment for the network intelligence.) An intelligent optical routing protocol will propagate this information all over the network and use this information to locate a corresponding optical client device and the optical network point of attachment. The optical network signaling can then perform the network internal signaling for on-demand optical service provisioning.

Abstract: A method for establishing an end-to-end virtual circuit is provided. The method includes establishing a permanent virtual circuit between customer premises equipment and a digital subscriber line access multiplexer. The method further includes embedding information for a permanent virtual connection between a switch and a remote node in a packet transmitted over a static connection in a network. Finally, the method includes establishing a permanent virtual circuit between the switch and the remote node based on the embedded information.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method (100) for virtual path switching of an ATM cell on a processing communications satellite. The method includes establishing a set of VPIs (104) associated with output ports on the satellite and assigning one VPI to an ATM cell (108). The ATM cell may then be received by an input port of the satellite (110). An associated output port (114) for the ATM cell is determined from the VPI, and the ATM cell is transferred to that output port (116). The present invention may also provide for multicast switching (400). The VPI assigned to the ATM cell may be associated with a multicast output port. The ATM cells may be reproduced (426) and reassigned with a new VPI from a multicast group of VPIs (428). The reproduced cells are received at an input port of the satellite (430) for routing to the corresponding output ports.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for enhancing the capability to optimally route VT circuits over SONET networks. The invention discloses a method for identifying Network Elements (NEs) that have VT capability (i.e., VT cross connect capability) and, when desired or required for VT circuit routing, manually or automatically topologically interconnecting these NEs by STS-1 circuits called VT Tunnels. Once interconnected, these VT Tunnels are suitable for supporting user VT traffic without the network operator being required to upgrade non-VT NE with VT capability or without having to exhaust the limited pool of available VT cross connects on one or more NEs.

Abstract: A method for moving permanent virtual circuits in an ATM network with minimal downtime includes creating a list of the permanent virtual circuits to be moved; building a set of shadow permanent virtual circuits using the new ATM port and a temporary set of virtual path identifier and virtual circuit identifier pairs; moving a physical connection from the original ATM port to the new ATM port; deleting the permanent virtual circuits on the original ATM port; and changing the shadow permanent virtual circuits to use the original virtual path identifier and virtual circuit identifier pairs.

Abstract: To provide fast access times with very large key fields, an associative memory utilizes a location addressable memory and lookup table to generate from a key the address in memory storing an associated record. The lookup tables, stored in memory, are constructed with the aid of arithmetic data compression methods to create a near perfect hashing of the keys. For encoding into the lookup table, keys are divided into a string of symbols. Each valid and invalid symbol is assigned an index value, such that the sum of valid index values for symbols of a particular key is a unique value that is used as an address to the memory storing the record associated with that key, and the sum of keys containing invalid index values point to a location in memory containing similar data. Utilizing the lookup tables set and relational operations maybe carried out that provide a user with a maximum number of key records resulting from a sequence of intersection, union and mask operations.

Abstract: A router providing differentiated services while transporting Internet Protocol (IP) packets on an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) backbone. A network administrator may specify multiple precedence values (in the type of service (TOS) portion of an IP header) associated with each SVC (set up with desired QOS). IP packets with the specified precedence values are transported on the associated SVC. By associating different precedence values with different SVC and configuring different SVCs with different QOS, differentiated services may be provided to IP packets.

Abstract: A method for supporting VP/VC groups in asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) switching systems that implement ATM automatic protection switching (APS). A source (SA) transmits traffic substantially continuously on two paths and a destination (SB), or sink, selects at any time one of the traffic from only one of the paths for further processing. The method includes creating a groups table having an entry for each of the two instances of every active VP/VC group's member set. Each entry indicates whether the cells for that instance of the member circuits of that VP/VC group should be forwarded or discarded. Each entry references a corresponding entry in the groups table by means of a pointer. The method includes accessing a relevant entry in the groups table when a cell for that circuit arrives, discarding the cell if the accessed value is “discard,” and forwarding the cell as specified in the specific lookup table entry for that circuit if the accessed value is otherwise.

Abstract: Provided is a managed network service delivery system and method. The managed network service delivery system includes an IOC (Internetworking Operating Center) and a SCA (SAM (Security Activity Manager) Collector Agent) at at least one of a plurality of customer sites of a customer. The customer sites are connected to the IOC through a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or directly from a respective one of the SCAs to the IOC. The SCAs collect log and statistical information from equipment at a respective one of the customer sites and provide summary information to the IOC. The SCAs also perform queries regarding status of equipment and report to the IOC. The customer accesses reports from a web server at the IOC or through a PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) connection at the SCAs. A redundant connection, through the PSTN, between a SCA and the IOC provides a robust system for management, monitoring and security of the customer sites.

Abstract: The present invention presents a flexible method for source-based message routing in a network node, particularly also suitable for flexible load distribution of the traffic via a number of link sets terminating directly at an adjacent first network element. The method uses data structures which are often already available in existing systems or are simple to set up, of providing a number of link sets between two signaling points. A two-stage routing process is initiated based on the setting up of a message node, which supports a number of logical networks or signaling point codes. In the first stage a logical network is selected, in which the message is to be routed further. In the second stage the message is routed in the selected network.

Abstract: A method for determining parameters needed to communicate with a remote node in a computer network is provided. The invention comprises determining the location of the remote node to which an InfiniBand (IB) node might desire to communicate. This resolution comprises determining the location of the remote node based on a desired application or service, and then determining the IB parameters needed to communicate with the remote node. The resolution might also involve determining the specific queue pairs that associated with the service dynamically. The general solution is applied to IP service resolution.

Abstract: A method for operating a router which combines virtual channels is disclosed, where both forward and reverse directed resource management cells are used to control transmission rate of a source computer. The merging router receives forward directed resource management cells from a plurality of upstream routers, where each forward directed resource management cell represents a virtual channel. The router: (1) replies to each upstream router with a reverse directed resource management cell; and (2) forwards to a downstream router a combined forward directed resource management cell, the combined forward directed resource management cell combining a plurality of virtual channels established between the router and the plurality of upstream routers.

Abstract: A multi-level lookup table includes a plurality of search levels with each search level including a plurality of subtrees, each subtree representing a plurality of nodes. A search of the multi-level lookup table for an entry corresponding to a search key results in a value stored in an entry associated with the node in a subtree. A default value is associated with the root of the subtree. Multiple entries for the subtree can store the default value. To minimize route update time, the default value associated with the subtree is stored in a single location. Instead of storing the default value in multiple entries, each entry stores a use default indicator to indicate that the default value stored in the single location is to be used. To further reduce the number of locations to modify to update the default route, the single location can store an inherit indicator to indicate that the default value for the subtree is inherited from another subtree.

Abstract: A network (100) includes multiple gateways (135, 140) and a router (105) connected to at least one of the multiple gateways (135, 140). The router (105) is configured to receive packets that include multiple first virtual circuit identifiers associated with the multiple gateways in the network (100), assign second virtual circuit identifiers to the at least one connected gateway, and initiate transmission of a message to the at least one connected gateway informing the gateway of the first virtual circuit identifiers.

Abstract: The present invention provides techniques for creation, operation and management of network-based storage services. Specific embodiments provide improved efficiency of the service management tasks used for designing, operating and accounting the robust and profitable network services, for example. In representative embodiments, techniques for constructing integrated network and storage services are provided. In a specific embodiment, the service comprises of three major service components: virtual private networks (VPN), application servers and storage area networks (SAN). Each of these service components has its own customer identification information, such as VPN identifier for VPN services, process identifier for application servers and logical unit number (LUN) for storage devices.

Abstract: A communication apparatus is provided which comprises: extraction means for extracting a virtual path identifier and a virtual channel identifier stored in a first header of first cells output from a terminal; preparation means which, based on the extracted virtual path identifier and virtual channel identifier, refers to a conversion table to prepare a second header containing a corresponding identifier; cell generation means for generating second cells containing the prepared second header and the user information of the first cells; multiplexing/generation means for multiplexing the generated second cells so as to have a fixed length, thereby generating third cells; and send means for sending the generated third cells to other communication apparatus through a virtual channel. By virtue of this construction, the usage charge of communication lines, such as ATM lines, can be reduced.

Abstract: A storage network system includes computers, storage systems, connection devices that control connection relations between the computers and the storage system, and a managing device that manages the computers, the storage system and the connection devices. The managing device includes a control section that specifies connection ports of the computers, the storage system and the connection devices that compose the storage network system. Further, the control device of the managing device displays on a display section a data traffic amount at each of the connection ports for each connection path from the computer to the storage system.

Abstract: Network architectures and protocols to support enhancements to the decision making process of standard routing protocols are described. Embodiments allow decisions to be exchanged between networks, or autonomous systems, about which internetwork paths have been chosen for outbound traffic. Some embodiments of the invention allow information about the measured performance of internetwork paths to be exchanged between autonomous systems. Embodiments allow additional policy information to be communicated between networks, including but not limited to information about why local policy decisions have been made; requests of policies from remote networks; performance information about particular paths; and informational status. Such information may be exchanged dynamically between networks.

Abstract: A method and system for managing an interconnect fabric that connects nodes. A network manager manages an interconnect fabric or network of routing devices (e.g., interconnect fabric modules, switches, or routers) to allow source nodes to transmit data to destination nodes. The network manager receives registration requests from source nodes to send data to destination nodes, configures the routing devices of the network to establish a path from each source node to its destination node, and provides a virtual address to each source node. The virtual address identifies a path from the source node to the destination node. The source node sends the data to its destination node by providing the data along with the virtual address to a routing device of the network.

Abstract: A virtual path feature in which several virtual channels share an assigned amount of bandwidth is implemented in a network processor. The network processor maintains a schedule indicative of respective times at which a plurality of virtual channels are to be serviced. An entry is read from the schedule. The entry corresponds to a current transmit cycle and includes a pointer to a channel descriptor for a virtual channel to be serviced in the current transmit cycle. A data cell for the virtual channel to be serviced in the current cycle is transmitted. An entry is added to the schedule to point to a channel descriptor that is pointed to by the channel descriptor for the virtual channel serviced in the current transmit cycle.

Abstract: An interconnect fabric module (“IFM”) with high-speed switching capabilities. An interconnect fabric module can be dynamically configured to interconnect its communications ports so that data can be transmitted through the interconnected ports. Multiple interconnect fabric modules can be connected to form an interconnect fabric through which nodes (e.g., computer systems) can be interconnected. In one embodiment, data is transmitted through the interconnect fabric as frames such as those defined by the Fibre Channel and InfiniBand standards. The interconnect fabric module allows the creation of an interconnect fabric that is especially well suited for interconnecting devices utilizing multiple information types such as might be required by the devices of an enterprise data network (“EDN”).

Abstract: A technique restores adjacencies between a non-stop forwarding (NSF) router and its neighboring routers during reload of routing protocol software on the NSF router within a computer network. When a new instance of the routing protocol software is re-loaded, each interface of the NSF router is placed in a special state that enables it to receive incoming Hello packets from its neighboring routers. When placed in the special state, the interface passively “listens” for incoming Hello packets from the neighbors to determine which neighbors send the packets. The router thereafter promptly creates and sends a unicast Hello packet to each neighbor from whom it has received an incoming Hello packet and creates associated neighbor data structures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for scheduling arriving data packets for input to a switch having a plurality of input channels, and a plurality of output channels, the scheduling method is performed in successive scheduling phases where each scheduling phase further comprises at least log N scheduling iterations. The method is a parallelized weight-driven input queued switch scheduling algorithm which possesses good bandwidth and delay properties, is stable, and can be configured to offer various delay and quality of service (QoS) guarantees. The scheduling method utilizes envelope scheduling techniques and considers partially filled envelopes for scheduling.

Abstract: A method for controlling a number of addresses in an address table of a switch in a network system includes the steps of adding a control mechanism in a learning mode of the switch; enabling one of a plurality of ports of the switch to detect a number of learned addresses in the address table; and locking the address table to stop learning and discard subsequently received packets having unmatched addresses if the number of learned addresses being detected has exceeded a predetermined maximum number of learnable addresses of the address table, thereby preventing the address table from being completely occupied by a number of abnormal packets.

Abstract: This invention provides a network management equipment and a packet switching equipment which eliminate a connection setup delay time, reduce a delay and a delay variation involved in data transfer, and effectively perform connectionless data flow processing in a large data network. The network is divided into a connection-oriented core network and a plurality of connectionless access networks connected to the core network where a plurality of connections (called permanent virtual route (PVR)) are set up among a plurality of edge nodes. The network management equipment selects one route from a plurality of PVRs for connectionless data flow received from one of the access networks and transfers data along the PVR.

Abstract: A system that efficiently and effectively monitors Internet protocol (IP) data being transferred in an asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) protocol and provides the information necessary according to a list of specified rules and a method and computer program product therefor are provided. The system allows for opening a process flow associated with the IP data such that the total amount of information about the process flow is reduced and the associated data is promptly recognized as belonging to a specific process flow. The system is capable of directing the data belonging to a certain process flow to an assigned network processor out of a plurality of such processors, while maintaining a balanced load between those processors.

Abstract: A system and method for improving reliability of a packet network are described. Data is transmitted on a first virtual circuit in the network. A message signaling a failure in receipt of the data is received on a second virtual circuit in the network. Finally, transmission of data is switched to the second virtual circuit within a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: A communication system includes multiple network interfaces interconnected using synchronous transport resources, such as a SONET ring. These interfaces couple to various communications networks and provide access for these networks to the synchronous transport resources. In response to relatively simple commands, these interfaces may couple attached asynchronous networks to the synchronous transport resources. With appropriate messages communicated to two of these interfaces, this system provides for the provisioning of synchronous transport resources between two asynchronous networks to support network-to-network communications.

Abstract: A technique for physically implementing a network of nodes in a virtual private network. To physically set-up all required connections in the network, a heuristic link selection algorithm is devised to systematically and efficiently determine interconnection links that realize the virtual private network subject to service level agreement requirements.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for establishing and removing a label switched path in a communication network uses a packet-driven mechanism rather than using an explicit signaling protocol to exchange label switching information from an upstream label switching device to a downstream label switching device. In order to establish a label switched path from the upstream label switching device to the downstream label switching device, the upstream label switching device allocates a new label for the label switched path, sets up the label switched path by adding the new label to its forwarding table, and forwards a labeled packet including the new label and an indicator indicating that the packet is labeled. Upon receiving the labeled packet from the upstream label switching device, the downstream label switching device sets up the label switched path by adding the new label to its forwarding table, and forwards the packet based upon network layer addressing information in the packet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing ATM formatted MPEG SI data in a television set-top box. A virtual channel indicator (VCI) is used to associate a segment of SI data with a virtual channel. An ATM processor receives a stream of ATM packets containing SI data from an out-of-band tuner. The ATM packets include the VCI in a header thereof. The ATM processor stores the SI data in a buffer memory associated with the VCI for retrieval by the ATM processor at the request of the STB system processor.

Abstract: A switching device for forwarding network traffic to a desired destination on a network, such as a telephone or computer network. The switching device includes multiple ports and uses a lookup table to determine which port to forward network traffic over. The lookup table includes network addresses that are maintained in ascending or descending order. The switching device includes multiple binary search engines coupled in series including one or more precursor binary search engines and a final stage binary search engine. Together, the binary search engines perform an N iteration binary search. Additionally, a single search engine can perform multiple concurrent searches so that source and destination addresses can be obtained simultaneously and without wasted memory cycles.

Abstract: A network processing device includes multiple control processors or applications. One or more of the multiple processors generates an address resolution request. A network interface is adapted to detect a reply to the address resolution request and broadcast the detected address resolution reply to the multiple control processors in the network processing device.

Abstract: A router device and a cut-through path control method capable of carrying out the load balancing at an intermediate router device which actually has a multi-path information, without requiring a special processing at the edge router are disclosed. At a router device at which multi-path exists, one router among a plurality of routers that can possibly be a next hop router is selected so as to contribute to a load balancing, according to a whole or a prescribed part of information regarding a state of cut-through path set up in which the router device is involved, at a time of setting up a cut-through path in the multi-path, and a prescribed control for setting up the cut-through path with that one router as the next hop router is carried out.

Abstract: A network management system and technique, implemented in hardware and software, automates certain aspects of a network element configuration in a network of routers that use the OSPF protocol. The network management system uses network wide configuration information to detect configuration deficiencies and configuration related intra-element dependencies, and to then configure the elements automatically. This includes automatically detecting and configuring OSPF virtual links under several different scenarios, including (a) either minimal or complete (redundant) configuration of a router that is newly added to an existing network, and (b) reconfiguring of the routers in an existing OSPF domain, when either minimal or complete configuration is required. Minimal configuration is attained when at least one area border router (ABR) in an area is guaranteed to be connected to a backbone. In a complete configuration, all ABR's in an area are guaranteed to be connected to the backbone.

Abstract: A VC merging apparatus and a method of establishing or terminating connection as well as a recording medium storing instructions for embodying the same method are disclosed. The method of establishing/terminating connection includes the steps of; a) determining a kind of connection with reference to connection parameters according to an order of connection establishment or termination from a central controller; b) establishing/terminating a multi point-to-point connection based on ingress/egress connection labels, if the kind of the connection is a VC merging connection; and c) establishing/terminating a point-to-point connection based on the ingress/egress connection labels, if the kind of the connection is a non-VC merging connection.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for automatic aggregation of a plurality of virtual paths emanating from a first switch. The method includes automatically discovering and identifying portions of the virtual paths that run parallel to one another, e.g., through the same set of switches up to a common terminating switch at which the paths diverge or terminate, as a candidate path set for aggregation, constructing a tunnel path along this set of paths all the way between the first switch and the terminating switch, and aggregating the parallel portions identified by the path set into the tunnel.

Abstract: A home agent (104, 108) and a foreign agent (110, 114) in a wireless communication system (100) establish (202) a special communications channel (140–154) between themselves, the special communications channel dedicated to messages addressed to multiple mobile nodes. The home agent then detects (206) whether a message received by the home agent is addressed to multiple mobile nodes. When the message is addressed to multiple mobile nodes, the home agent sends (208) the message to the foreign agent through the special communications channel.

Abstract: An ATM cell transmitting device capable of multiplexing a plurality of time slots with a single ATM cell by using an AAL2, which includes a time slot input unit for switching a plurality of time slots; a packet processing unit for receiving the switched time slot data and forming a CPS packet; a CAM for receiving header information of the CPS packet and outputting the ATM buffer number; an ATM cell transmitting unit for storing the data of the CPS packet according to the ATM buffer number outputted from the CAM, to form ATM cells; and a controlling unit for performing a general controlling operation.

Abstract: A node for a telecommunications network has a segmentation and reassembly module (SAR module) to perform segmentation and reassembly (SAR) on cells received by the node, the SAR module particularly providing Virtual Channel Identifier (VCI) and Virtual Path Identifier (VPI) translation (referred to as VCI/VPI translation), and has a direct memory access (DMA) mechanism for a storage external to the SAR module, the SAR module performing a first DMA access when the VCI/VPI translation are representative of an error code correcting (ECC) procedure to be carried out in the node, and the SAR module performing a second DMA access when the VCI/VPI translation corresponds to a message that does not require a local ECC procedure. A coder/decoder module performs an ECC procedure on the cells. A controller controls the coder/decoder module to perform an error correcting procedure in response to the detection of the first DMA access. The first DMA access uses a first address and the second DMA uses a second address.

Abstract: A method of automatic permanent virtual circuit connection activation is provided. The method includes detects initiation of communication between a first and a second network element at a first reference point. The method further receives at least one virtual circuit identifier of the first network element and learning at least one virtual circuit identifier of the second network element. In addition, the method creates a translation connection between the first and second network elements.

Abstract: A method for restoring a virtual path, provisioned between a source and a target node, in a mesh zoned optical network is described. The method, in one embodiment, broadcasts or floods restore path requests in the network to expedite the identification of an alternate route and minimize the service disruption for failed virtual path. The flooding of requests is controlled to ensure efficient performance of the network yet guaranteeing minimum restoration time to allow critical telecommunication related traffic to flow through the network with virtually no interruption. The constant update of nodal topology by each node allows a fast identification of alternate physical path for failed virtual path.

Abstract: A method of scheduling the handling of data from a plurality of channels. The method includes accumulating data from a plurality of channels by a remote access server, scheduling a processor of the server to handle the accumulated data from at least one first one of the channels, once during a first cycle time, and scheduling the processor to handle the accumulated data from at least one second one of the channels, once during a second cycle time different from the first cycle time.