Alcatel Canada Inc.

Newbridge Networks Corporation

Alcatel Networks Corporation

John C Burns

Jonathan L Bosloy

David Watkinson

Stephen C Bews

Mark Tooker

Robert Muller

A method is disclosed for detecting and diagnosing faults in a network. The network has a plurality of nodes through which switched virtual connections can be established. First, all attempts at establishing routes through the network are recorded. Then, the location of a failure is determined by analyzing the attempted routes.

Switched connections diagnostics in a signalling network

A method of converting a permanent connection, such as a PVC, into a signalled permanent connection, such as an S-PVC, in a connection-orientated network, such as an ATM network, without service disruptions. The method includes the steps of: (a) establishing signalling links between each network node along the path of the permanent connection; (b) providing information to identify the cross-connections along the path; (c) incorporating the cross-connect identification information in a call set-up message; (d) signalling the call set-up message along the path from a source network node to a destination network node; and (e) associating the cross-connection of each node along the path with the appropriate signalling links in order to form the signalled permanent connection. The cross-connect identification information may be a unique call identifier for the permanent connection, in circumstances where the call identifier is associated with the permanent connection cross-connections prior to Step (d). Alternatively, the cross-connect identification information may be a permanent connection path definition specifying each cross-connection is the path. A similar method for converting a signalled permanent connection into a permanent connection is also disclosed.

Conversion of a permanent connection into a signaled permanent connection

A method of re-establishing a communications connection in a network element, a network element and a switched connection communications network are provided. The communications connection is re-established after a failure occurs affecting the communications connection. The network element is a network element in a switched connection communications network over which the communications connection is provisioned in a source-to-destination bearer path. The bearer path includes a cross-connection in the first-mentioned network element. The cross-connection is associated with the communications connection prior to the failure at a time when the communications connection is provisioned. The method includes the steps of: (a) delaying release of the cross-connection following the failure and (b) during the delayed release, determining whether the cross-connection remains operable notwithstanding the failure and, if so, re-associating the operable cross-connection with the communications connection to thereby re-establish same over at least that portion of the bearer path which includes the cross-connection.

Method and apparatus for recovering from a signalling failure in a switched connection data transmission network

A network management protocol for the efficient retrieval of items of information or objects from managed elements or other network management systems in a digital communications network is described. The new protocol introduces one or more qualifier bits appended to an information retrieval command wherein the qualifier bit specifies the subclasses of the objects requested.

Network management protocol for efficient retrieval operations

The method of potentially recovering from a short term signalling failure in a switched connection data transmission network comprises the steps of: (a) establishing a unique, network-wide, identifier for each call; (b) incorporating the unique identifier in a call setup message transmitted to each network element in the path of the call; (c) linking the unique call identifier with each bearer channel cross-connect associated with the call; and (d) upon detection of a failure in a signalling network which affects the call, (i) actuating a timed release of the cross-connects, (ii) re-transmitting the call setup message, including the unique call identifier, to each network element involved in placing the call, (iii) re-linking the unique call identifier with the surviving cross-connects thereby reclaiming the cross-connects, and (iv) aborting the release of the cross-connects provided they have all been timely reclaimed.

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Kanata, Canada

John C Burns