Abstract: Methods and apparatus for enabling a layer 2 node associated with an open systems interconnection (OSI) reference model to perform resource reservation protocol (RSVP) processing are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention a layer 2 device associated with an OSI reference model includes a first interface, a processing arrangement, and a second interface. The first interface intercepts a message associated with a on-path signaling protocol for at least one selected from a group including resource reservation and admission control at a layer above layer 2. The processing arrangement processes the message, and the second interface sends the message.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for configuring a virtual circuit set up between a first and a second terminal installation. The virtual circuit is carried by an underlying path including a first link set up between the first terminal installation and an intermediate installation, and a second link set up between the intermediate installation and the second terminal installation. A third link of the underlying path is set up between the intermediate installation and a third terminal installation. The method includes a step of configuring the third terminal installation, on completion of which the latter is able to process in reception a data stream transmitted through the virtual circuit.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present description, a connection between a predetermined input port and a predetermined output port is created in a partition of a VSAN switch, in which the connection is a destination address independent physical layer connection conforming to the physical layer of a communication protocol. Another connection between a plurality of input ports and a plurality of output ports may be created in another partition of the VSAN switch, in which the connection is a multi-layer connection which includes a network layer connection conforming to the network layer of the communication protocol. Other features and aspects may be realized, depending upon the particular application.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a forwarding mechanism and a control mechanism. During operation, the forwarding mechanism forwards frames based on their Ethernet headers. The control mechanism operates the switch in conjunction with a separate physical switch as a single logical switch and assigns a virtual switch identifier to the logical switch, wherein the virtual switch identifier is associated with a link aggregation group.

Abstract: A physical host executes a virtual machine monitor (VMM) that instantiates a plurality of virtual machines (VMs). The VMM supports processing of a virtual link manager (VLM) that deploys and configures a plurality of Layer 2 virtual links sharing bandwidth of a Layer 2 physical link between the physical host and an access switch. The VMM communicates parameters of the plurality of virtual links with the access switch.

Abstract: Network devices include hosted virtual machines and virtual machine applications. Hosted virtual machines and their applications implement additional functions and services in network devices. Network devices include data taps for directing network traffic to hosted virtual machines and allowing hosted virtual machines to inject network traffic. Network devices include unidirectional data flow specifications, referred to as hyperswitches. Each hyperswitch is associated with a hosted virtual machine and receives network traffic received by the network device from a single direction. Each hyperswitch processes network traffic according to rules and rule criteria. A hosted virtual machine can be associated with multiple hyperswitches, thereby independently specifying the data flow of network traffic to and from the hosted virtual machine from multiple networks.

Abstract: A method of enabling extension of a network service of a first domain to a remote customer site hosted by an Access Gateway (AG) in a Provider Ethernet domain. In the first domain, the remote customer site is represented as being hosted by a border gateway (BG) connected to the Provider Ethernet domain, such that subscriber packets associated with the network service are forwarded to or from the remote customer site via the BG. In the Provider Ethernet domain, a trunk connection is instantiated through the Provider Ethernet domain between the host AG and the BG. A trunk cross-connection function is installed in the host AG, for transferring subscriber packets associated with the network service between a respective attachment virtual circuit (AVC) through which the remote customer site is connected to the host AG and an extended AVC tunnelled through the trunk connection.

Abstract: Disclosed are system and methods for distributing data.

Abstract: A method for providing a wireless Internet connection to WiFi-enabled devices (STAs) comprising: wirelessly connecting a first STA to the Internet through a first AP with a first SSID; remaining connected to the first Access Point (AP), the first STA creates a software-based wireless AP with a second SSID for wirelessly connecting other STAs to the Internet through the first STA. A software module running on the first STA allows a second STA a wide access to the Internet only if the second STA has a copy of the software module running installed and active therein. A method for configuring STAs to connect to a wireless network, comprising: a customer first connects a STA by wire to its network; a software on the STA copies to the STA the security information gained through the wired connection, thus setting the security parameters for the STA.

Abstract: A Point to Multipoint (PMP) multi-hop relay network includes a base station, one or more relay stations and one or more subscriber stations. Active service flows in a PMP multi-hop relay network have a 16-bit connection identifier (CID). A CID defines the connection that a packet is servicing. Before traffic can be transmitted, the path through the network, and the association of CIDs with respective hops needs to be established. The CID mapping relationship from the ingress air link to the egress air link at each relay station is first set up, which is then followed by a traffic phase where the CID mapping relationship is used to route traffic from a base station to a subscriber station.

Abstract: Grouping pseudowires based on hardware interfaces and configured control paths enables improved pseudowire failover performance. Signaling status changes (e.g., from standby to active status) is facilitated by using group IDs for the pseudowire groups, thereby enabling improved failover performance when there is disruption in the network.

Abstract: An approach to duplicating network traffic is described. In one approach, a method of creating multiple copies of network traffic is detailed. The method involves receiving network traffic, producing a duplicate copy of the network traffic, and forwarding the duplicate copy to a monitoring port. The monitoring port forwards copies to a number of indicated ports.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for distributing load in a network. A set of routers are configured for providing IP gateway services to a set of hosts where each router in the set of routers all back up all the other routers in the same set. Each router in the set utilizes identical load distribution policies, load distribution properties and load distribution arrangement. A Load Distribution Function (LDF) master router is determined for the set of routers, wherein each one of the set of routers is a backup for the LDF master router. Every router in the set of routers utilize the same algorithm to compute load distribution and the LDF master router provides balancing information to all the other routers by including that information in VRRP advertisement messages to all the routers.

Abstract: A terminal connected to a network stores association information between a physical address and a logical address of the terminal as first association information in an address association information storing unit. The terminal obtains association information between a physical address and a logical address, which is transmitted to the terminal via the network, as second association information. The terminal determines, based on the first association information stored in the storing unit and the second association information, whether or not the logical address included in the first association information is duplicate. If the logical address is determined to be duplicate, the first association information is notified to a device belonging to the network to which the terminal belongs, and the device is instructed to resolve duplication of the logical address.

Abstract: A switch includes a processor, an ingress port having ingress port logic, and an egress port. It may also include a virtual network identifier rewrite component for rewriting a virtual network identifier in a data frame received the ingress port with a new virtual network identifier. Also included is a virtual network identifier rewrite rule set, where a rule may have one or more of the following: a received virtual network identifier, a source Fiber Channel identifier (FCID) address, an ingress port identifier, and a new virtual network identifier. The ingress port logic may insert a received virtual network identifier into the data frame received at the ingress port, where the virtual network identifier may correspond to the ingress port. The virtual network identifier rewrite component may assign the new virtual network identifier to the data frame according to a specific virtual network identifier rewrite rule.

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 broadcasting a data packet (D) in an ad hoc network comprising a plurality of groups of mobile nodes traveling along traffic lanes in a road network. The data packet (D) is broadcast within a group (G) during an intragroup broadcasting phase during which the data packet (D) propagates simultaneously in two opposing directions of movement (A1, A2), such that the packet (D) is received by peripheral nodes (B1, B2) of the group (G). During an intergroup broadcasting phase, a peripheral node (B) transmits the data packet (D) to another group.

Abstract: An automated method for ascertaining interconnectivity in a network comprises operating a customer edge device at a site that is physically linked with at least one provider edge router and communicates directly with peer sites via a virtual private network (VPN) connection. Inter-site connectivity is discovered among a plurality of customer edge devices in the network and effective communication paths among the plurality of customer edge devices across geographically distributed sites are presented.

Abstract: A network system includes a provider backbone bridged network (PBBN) and a multi-homed provider bridge network (PBN) having an L2 switch that operate as backboned edge bridge (BEBs) to bridge L2 packets between the PBN and the PBBN. The L2 switch executes a PBBN routing instance and a separate PBN routing instance. A plurality of packet-forwarding engine (PFE) of the L2 switch are configured to forward L2 packets between interfaces of the PBN routing instance and the PBBN routing instance. The PFEs store L2 network address tables that specify L2 network addresses reachable by the interfaces. The PFEs of the L2 switch are configured to selectively share L2 network addresses between the L2 network address tables of the PBN routing instance and the L2 network address tables of the PBBN routing instance.

Abstract: A related word presentation device includes a program information storage unit that stores program information of each program; and an information dividing unit that generates, for each of the attributes of the words included in the program information, at least one group which includes a reference word belonging to the attribute and a set of words which co-occur with the reference word in a program. A degree-of-relevance calculating unit stores attribute-based association dictionaries each of which indicates, for the corresponding attribute of words, (i) the words and (ii) the degrees of relevance between the words calculated based on the frequency of co-occurrence in each of groups. A search condition obtaining unit obtains the search word and the attribute; a substitute word obtaining unit selects substitute words from the attribute-based association dictionary for the obtained attribute; and an output unit presents the selected substitute word.

Abstract: A network management system (NMS) maintains topology information of a network allowing coexistence of PDH network and SDH network. The network management system (NMS) generates a topology data for path calculation in a path calculation device in accordance with the topology information of the network after converting topology information of the PDH network into topology information of an SDH network. The path calculation device calculates the optimum path in answer to a path calculation request from the network management system (NMS) on the basis of the topology data for path calculation generated therein, and returns the calculation result. The network management system (NMS) reverts the SDH network topology information generated through conversion from the PDH network topology information among the SDH network topology information included in the calculation result received from the path calculation device to the PDH network topology information before the conversion.

Abstract: Efficient and highly-scalable network solutions are provided that each utilize deployment units based on Clos networks, but in an environment such as a data center of Internet Protocol-based network. Each of the deployment units can include multiple stages of devices, where connections between devices are only made between stages and the deployment units are highly connected. In some embodiments, the level of connectivity between two stages can be reduced, providing available connections to add edge switches and additional host connections while keeping the same number of between-tier connections. In some embodiments, where deployment units (or other network groups) can be used at different levels to connect other deployment units, the edges of the deployment units can be fused to reduce the number of devices per host connection.

Abstract: A method for use in interconnected communications networks, comprising negotiating a locally unique interface identifier between a network entity and a network such that the locally unique interface identifier differs from any interface identifier used by either of the network entity and the network; and using the locally unique interface identifier to identify an egress interface from the network entity to the network, and using the locally unique interface identifier to identify an egress interface from the network to the network entity. By using a common locally unique interface identifier between networks and network entities on a path between a source or destination network entity and a core network, a globally unique locator for the source or destination network entity can be constructed by concatenating elements derived from a plurality of negotiated common local interface identifiers between networks and network entities on the path.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing a control plane across multiple optical network domains is described. In one example, topology and resource discovery is employed in a transport network having a plurality of control domains. Topology information for each of the control domains is summarized to produce summarized topology information. The summarized topology information for each of the control domains is exchanged among the control domains. At each of the control domains, the summarized topology information of each of the control domains is combined to produce combined topology information. The combined topology information is passed among network elements within each of the control domains using an intra-domain routing protocol.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for label switched routing in fiber channel networks. Techniques are provided for implementing label switching based on particular characteristics of fiber channel networks. By using label switching, mechanisms such as traffic engineering, security, and tunneling through networks that do not support fiber channel frames can be implemented.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a node device for transferring a message based on MPLS TE tunnels. The main principle of the embodiments is to determine a switching node at which MPLS TE tunnel switching is needed, and to set routing and forwarding information for tunnel switching between different MPLS TE tunnels at the switching node. The switching node switches and transfers message into different MPLS TE tunnels according to the routing and forwarding information. The present invention makes the sum of the whole network edge bandwidth resources much higher than that of the bandwidth resource at the network core, allows the network resources to converge layer by layer, and avoids the N-square problem of the tunnel number effectively and lightens the load on the network core nodes by the large number of tunnels and the load of RSVP-TE state refreshing.

Abstract: A system and method for mapping original Media Access Control (MAC) addresses to unique locally administered virtual MAC addresses in an Ethernet network. A first field of the address may include a domain for the address, and a second field may indicate that the address is a locally administered MAC address. A third field of the address may include an index indicating a number of virtual MAC addresses for each user. Fourth and fifth fields of the address may include a Network Element ID (NE ID) for uniquely identifying a given access node in a given domain, and a Port ID for uniquely identifying an end-user port at the given access node. The system may be implemented in an access node or in a network emulator, which generates unique locally administered MAC addresses for all of the nodes in the Ethernet network for performing emulations of the network.

Abstract: The invention provides an enhanced datagram packet switched computer network. The invention processes network datagram packets in network devices as separate flows, based on the source-destination address pair in the datagram packet. As a result, the network can control and manage each flow of datagrams in a segregated fashion. The processing steps that can be specified for each flow include traffic management, flow control, packet forwarding, access control, and other network management functions. The ability to control network traffic on a per flow basis allows for the efficient handling of a wide range and a large variety of network traffic, as is typical in large-scale computer networks, including video and multimedia traffic. The amount of buffer resources and bandwidth resources assigned to each flow can be individually controlled by network management. In the dynamic operation of the network, these resources can be varied—based on actual network traffic loading and congestion encountered.

Abstract: An interconnection network with m first electronic circuits and n second electronic circuits, comprising m interconnection sub-networks, each interconnection sub-network including: at least one addressing bus and one information transfer bus connecting one of the m first circuits to all the n second circuits, the information transfer bus comprising a plurality of portions of signal transmission lines connected to each other through signal repeater devices, and a controller device that controls the signal repeater devices, at least one of the signal repeater devices is controlled to be active depending on a value of an addressing signal to be sent to the addressing bus by said one of the m first circuits to the controller device, where m and n are integer numbers greater than 1.

Abstract: A communication apparatus configured to transmit data by configuring a plurality of virtual communication pathways in a physical communication pathway established with another communication apparatus, the communication apparatus includes a configuration unit that configures information related to an order of priority of the virtual communication pathways, a first storage unit that stores the configured information, a second storage unit that stores data, which includes signals, based on the configured information, and a transmission processing unit that carries out transmission processing on the stored data based on the configured information.

Abstract: A system comprises a plurality of nodes, at least one of the plurality of nodes configured to insert, on a per-virtual link basis, a delay value into a dynamic delay field of a frame corresponding to the respective virtual link, wherein the dynamic delay value represents latency of frames of the respective virtual link. The system also comprises a switch having a plurality of ports, each port coupled to one of the plurality of nodes. The switch is configured to route frames received from the plurality of nodes to one or more of the plurality of nodes. At least one of the plurality of nodes is configured to store frames received from the switch in a buffer and to update the value in the dynamic delay field to reflect the end-to-end system delay.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide an implementation for a multi-hop wireless backhaul network, in particular an aggregation node (AGN). The AGN includes a plurality of spatially switched antennas and a transceiver configured to operate on the plurality of spatially switched antennas in a time divisional multiplexing (TDM) fashion to establish active connections with other network nodes in a hierarchical manner. The AGN is further configured to perform a bi-directional relay function for backhaul traffic with the other network nodes using at least one virtual circuit having an allocated bandwidth for delay sensitive traffic. The AGN may serve to aggregate and relay/amplify circuit traffic between network nodes in the up stream and down stream directions. If the AGN is interposed within a circuit between two other nodes, the AGN can switch the circuit traffic between the end-nodes of the circuit.

Abstract: A method (200, 300, 400) of communicating an IPv6 packet (120) over an IPv4 based network (102). The method can include receiving the IPv6 packet to be communicated to a remote unit (104), encapsulating the IPv6 packet in an IPv4 transition packet (122), and communicating the IPv4 transition packet to an IPv4 MVPN (114) server configured to communicate the packet to the remote unit via infrastructure of an IPv4 radio access network. Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of processing an IPv6 packet received over an IPv4 based network. The method can include receiving from an MVPN server an IPv4 formatted packet that is being communicated to a remote unit, and removing from the packet at least one IPv4 header to result in the packet being formatted in accordance with IPv6.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a system and method for projecting billing of a specified server configuration. In some embodiments, the projected billing is determined by identifying a set of allocated resources for the server configuration. In some embodiments, the set of resources include an amount of allocated RAM, network bandwidth, disk storage, processing power, etc. The set of resources are then projected over a billing period. Some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration as each component of the configuration is specified within a graphical user interface. Additionally, some embodiments determine a projection for the configuration after the entire configuration is specified within the graphical user interface.

Abstract: A multi-router system is described in which hardware and software components of one or more standalone routers can be partitioned into multiple logical routers. The multiple logical routers are isolated from each other in terms of routing and forwarding functions yet allow network interfaces to be shared between the logical routers. Moreover, different logical routers can share network interfaces without impacting the ability of any of the logical routers to be independently scaled to meet the bandwidth demands of the customers serviced by the logical router.

Abstract: A utility network interface device is provided for operation with a utility network. The utility network interface device includes a control unit configured to detect a tampering with a software component of a utility meter with which the utility network interface device is associated. The utility network interface device also includes a notification unit configured to output, external to the utility meter, a visual indication constituting notification of the tampering detected by the control unit. The control unit is configured to automatically control the notification unit to output the external notification of the tampering in response to the detection of the tampering. Also provided are a utility network including the utility network interface device, a method of operating a utility network interface device, and a computer-readable recording medium having a computer program recorded thereon for operating a utility network interface device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and device for detecting connectivity termination in an IPv6 access network based on a DHCP service model. The method for detecting connectivity termination according to the invention comprises the steps of: creating an entry of the subscriber connectivity cache list corresponding to the subscriber terminal in the access node when the IPv6 connectivity between the subscriber terminal and the access node is established successfully; querying the entry of the neighbor cache list corresponding to the subscriber terminal based on the polling time set in the entry of the subscriber connectivity cache list; deciding whether the connectivity of the subscriber terminal is normal based on the entry information corresponding to the subscriber terminal of the subscriber connectivity cache list and neighbor cache list; and performing termination processing on the connectivity of the subscriber terminal logging off abnormally.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method comprises receiving a request from a computing device for an address. The request is to include a unique value associated with the computing device. The method also comprises generating a username based on the unique value. The username is associated with the computing device. Additionally, the username is bound to a context within a network element. The method also comprises assigning an address to the computing device within the context. A circuit is generated between the computing device and the network element based on the address.

Abstract: A repeater stores retrieval situation of an address retrieved as an address identical with the transmission destination address of the reception frame in association with each address registered in the learning table, refers to, when the transmission source address of the received frame is registered in the learning table, the retrieval situation of the address stored in association with a port identical with the port that receives the frame from among retrieval situations, specifies an address to be overwritten by the transmission source address of the reception frame, overwrites and registers the transmission source address of the reception frame on the specified address, and updates, when the address identical with the transmission destination address of the received frame is retrieved from the learning table, the retrieval situation stored in association with the retrieved address.

Abstract: A utility network interface device is provided for operation with a utility network. The utility network interface device includes a detector configured to produce a state signal upon occurrence of a prescribed state that interferes with the ability of a utility meter, with which the utility network interface device is associated, to measure consumption of a commodity and/or report consumption of the commodity. The utility network interface device also includes a control unit configured to detect a tampering with the utility meter in accordance with the state signal produced by the detector. The control unit automatically controls a notification unit to output, external to the utility meter, notification of the tampering detected by the control unit, in response to the detection of the tampering.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer-program product for logically representing and analyzing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) in a plurality of functional representation layers is disclosed.

Abstract: A first computer stores a correspondence between a virtual channel and a physical channel (s) in physical channel information and transmits the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel (s) to a second computer having a virtual network interface to which a data transmission instruction is addressed. Upon receiving the correspondence between the virtual channel and the physical channel(s), the second computer stores the received correspondence in the physical channel information. The first computer transmits data in accordance with the data transmission instruction, using one or more physical channels associated with the virtual channel, based on the correspondence stored.

Abstract: A method and a communication device for processing ATM cells. The communication device includes an input interface adapted to receive an ATM cell that is associated with a PHY value and includes a pair of VCI and VPI fields. The communication device is characterized by comprising a search unit, adapted to search, within a group of memory entries that belong to a memory unit, for a pair of VCI and VPI fields that have values that match the values of the VCI and VPI fields of the received ATM cell, if the received VCI field and VPI fields belong to a first predefined group of VCI and VPI fields. The communication device further includes a processor, connected to the search unit, wherein the processor is adapted to determine a channel identifier of the received ATM cell in response to a result of the search and in response to a PHY value associated with the received ATM cell.

Abstract: A method system for interfacing a client system in a first network domain with a Provider Link State Bridging (PLSB) network domain. At least two Backbone Edge Bridges (BEBs) of the PLSB domain 20 are provided. Each BEB is an end-point of a connection in the first network domain to the client system and an end-point of at least a unicast path defined within the PLSB domain 20. An inter-node trunk is provided in the PLSB domain 20 for interconnecting the at least two BEBs. A phantom node is defined in the PLSB domain 20. The phantom node has a unique address in the PLSB domain 20 and is notionally located on the inter-node trunk one hop from each of the BEBs. Each of the BEBs is configured such that: an ingress packet received from the client system via the connection in the first network domain is forwarded through a path notionally rooted at the phantom node; and an egress subscriber packet destined for the client system is forwarded to the client system through the connection in the first network domain.

Abstract: An endpoint system for media communication comprises a resource-limited device and a base station. The resource-limited device at least one of receives and outputs at least one of audio and graphic information. The base station communicates media and control packets with the resource-limited device via a permanent virtual circuit, establishes a switched virtual circuit with an endpoint device via a communications channel, and translates media packets between the permanent virtual circuit and the switched virtual circuit.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing distributed execution of programs, including by dynamically scaling a cluster of multiple computing nodes used to perform ongoing distributed execution of a program, such as to increase and/or decrease the quantity of computing nodes in the cluster at various times and for various reasons. An architecture may be used that facilitates the dynamic scaling of a cluster, including by having at least some of the computing nodes act as core nodes that each participate in a distributed storage system for the distributed program execution, and having one or more other computing nodes that act as auxiliary nodes that do not participate in the distributed storage system. If computing nodes are selected to be removed from the cluster during ongoing distributed execution of a program, one or more nodes of the auxiliary computing node type may be selected for the removal.

Abstract: A method of provisioning resources, which includes hosting at least one resource at a first site. A secure connection is established between the first site and a second site, and a listing of available resources is exported to the second site. The second site publishes the listing of available resources to at least one client and at least one resource from the first site to second site is provisioned by providing the at least one client with an IP address of the at least one resource.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for rehoming a digital subscriber line access multiplexer between a first data port and a second data port on a data switch. The method includes establishing a physical loop-back circuit between the second data port and a temporary input port of the data switch, establishing an extension permanent virtual circuit between the temporary input port and the first data port, removing a permanent virtual circuit between a data switch servicing a network service provider and the first data port, establishing a permanent virtual circuit between the data switch servicing the network service provider and the second data port, and routing data between the network service provider and the digital subscriber line access multiplexer via the permanent virtual circuit between the data switch servicing the network service provider and the second data port, the physical loop-back circuit, and the extension permanent virtual circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing tunnel signaling over an IP tunneling path are provided. The method includes transmitting an end-to-end signaling flow through an end-to-end path connected to the IP tunneling path, generating a tunnel signaling flow corresponding to the end-to-end signaling flow, and transmitting the generated tunnel signaling flow through the IP tunneling path, wherein the end-to-end signaling flow and the tunnel signaling flow respectively include a binding data object storing binding information for an end-to-end session associated with the end-to-end signaling flow or a tunnel session associated with the tunnel signaling flow.

Abstract: A method of identifying the originator of a message transmitted between a client and a server system is provided. The method includes modifying a message to be transmitted between a client and a server system to include a session identification flag and/or a session identifier 500 (e.g., at an end of the message). The method optionally includes one or more of the steps of re-computing a control portion of the message to reflect the inclusion of the session identification flag and the session identifier 502, transmitting the message between the client and the server system 504, and checking the transmitted message for the session identification flag 506, reading the session identifier of the transmitted message to determine the originator of the message 508, removing the session identification flag and/or the session identifier from the transmitted message 510, and re-computing the control portion of the message to reflect the removal of the session identification flag and/or the session identifier 512.