Cabletron Systems, Inc.

Ellacoya Networks, Inc.

Enterasys Networks, Inc.

Cloudtree, LLC

Enterasys, Inc.

Enterasys Networkds, Inc.

Kurt A Dobbins

Brendan J Fee

David L Cullerot

Michael Skubisz

Chris Oliver

Kevin Yohe

David Ruffen

Theodore C Len

David H Bahi

Thomas A Grant

Phil Andlauer

Philip Andlauer

Laura Kane

William T Haggerty

Dave Arneson

Pat Mullaney

Brett A Miller

Roger H Dev

Bruce E Caram

Jason Jeffords

Stephen H Negus

Dan Hullette

Kris Dobbins

Bruce Nutbrown

Andy Grimes

Tom Parker

Rich Soczewinski

Paul Simoneau

Len Cormier

Mark Thomas Sexton

Jason Paul Jeffords

Jason P Poirier

Justin William Haddad

Stephen G Delahunty

Andre C Boutin

Adam Michael Lederman

David J Ruffen

Christopher Lawrence Cheetham

Wouter Johan Weiss

Connection-oriented services for packet switched data communications networks are provided, including distributed MAC and protocol alias addresses discovery. Link state topology exchanges provide each switch with network topology graphs to determine paths from source to destination end systems. Broadcast frames are resolved to unicast frames to reduce broadcast traffic. Policy restrictions may be applied prior to connection setup. Connection management includes source-routed mapping of connections on the desired path. Distributed call rerouting is provided so switches receive topology change notifications and unmap failed link connections. Broadcast/unknown services provide non-resolvable packet restricted flooding. Connection-oriented switching is provided based on source and destination MAC addresses. Resolution of networks outside the switch domain is enabled by listening for network and server route advertisements and maintaining best routes to the networks and servers. Route and path metrics may be combined to determine paths from access switches to egress switches connected to the external network.

Distributed connection-oriented services for switched communication networks

Methods and systems for mapping user-defined identities in data communication networks. By mapping and translating identities based on a calling party identifier, a called party identifier, and the carrier instance, enhanced communication services are enabled. Enhanced communication services offer virtual private phone numbers, shared group numbers, and interconnection between different voice and messaging services and applications.

User-defined identity mapping for directed communications

Methods and systems for identifying and preferring certain content transmissions over others for transport in a multiple subscriber computer network, such as public broadband access network. Preferred transport includes exempting participating content transmissions from bandwidth preservation policies, such as byte capping or rate limiting, or permitting the broadband access network provider to bill for certain identified content transmissions. The participating content transmissions are identified on a number of bases including by sending or receiving application, or by use of tags embedded by the content originator, sender or distributor. Those tagging techniques are also usable to enforce the content owner's distribution rights.

Method and apparatus for offering preferred transport within a broadband subscriber network

A system and method that enables session-based and non-session-based application services to be controlled and managed within the IMS/NGN architecture. The IMS/NGN architecture includes a service layer and a transport layer. IMS service control functions are implemented within the service layer, and RACF and transport functions are implemented within the transport layer. The transport functions include access and core network functions, which have corresponding QoS resources. The access or core network function includes an application service control function (ASCF), which includes a PD-FE and a functional element for inspecting packet data flows, and identifying and classifying application services associated with the flows. The ASCF is employed to signal the IMS service control functions on behalf of non-session-based application services, and to reserve and allocate the QoS resources needed to support packet data flows associated with the non-session-based services. As a result, service providers can provide users or subscribers of such non-session-based services with guaranteed or differentiated QoS and/or differentiated service plans, thereby allowing charges to be calculated for the non-session-based services and service plans that are commensurate with the value of the respective service or plan.

Communications system and method to control and manage both session-based and non-session-based application services

Methods and systems for providing scaleable flow based application control in private and public Internet. A flow table can be used to control the application and subscriber traffic for communication flows in access networks. The flow table entry can provide granular, unidirectional packet transmission of data for all or a subset of all host and application communications originating from or destined to network hosts in the access network. Using a flow table entry for multiple unidirectional packet transmissions of data provides efficient use of flow table entries and allows varying operator control of application communication exchanges between network hosts and applications. By using variable masking techniques, the flow table can be used for varying degrees of control over the packet transmissions in the network.

Scaleable flow-based application and subscriber traffic control

Method and apparatus providing connection-oriented services for packet switched data communications networks. Directory services include distributed discovery of MAC addresses and protocol alias addresses. Topology services include a link state topology exchange among switches, which provides each switch with a complete topology graph of the network. This enables an access switch receiving a data packet to determine a complete path from a source end system to a destination end system. Another service includes resolution of broadcast frames to unicast frames, in order to reduce the amount of broadcast traffic. Policy restrictions may be applied prior to connection setup. Path determination services enable multiple paths from a source to a destination. Connection management includes source routed mapping of connections on the desired path. A distributed call rerouting service is provided wherein if a link on an active path fails, each switch receives a topology change notification and unmaps any connection involving the failed link. A broadcast/unknown service provides restricted flooding of nonresolvable packets. Furthermore, connection-oriented switching is provided based on the source and destination MAC addresses as a connection identifier. Still further, resolution of networks outside the switch domain is enabled by access switches listening for network and server route advertisements and maintaining best routes to said networks and servers. The best route metrics may be combined with best path metrics to determine a path from a first access switch to an egress switch connected to the external network.

Content resources are managed. A request is received from a user for access to a source of content resources. It is determined that the user is authorized for access to the source. A portal Web page is generated based on a set of content element data applicable to the subscriber. The portal Web page is returned to the user. A system for use in managing content resources has a switch for receiving requests from Web browsers, a content resource management engine in communication with the switch, and a billing system in communication with the content resource management engine.

Managing content resources

Tailored application or service may be delivered via a communication device to a number of subscribers in a manner that avoids having to store individual copies of a service profile on the device for each subscriber receiving the application or service. Specifically, a packet is received requesting delivery of the application or service from the subscriber at a communication device. In response, the communication device retrieves a subscriber context, which references policies that describe each of the applications and services available to the subscriber. The application or service requested by the packet is compared with the policies referenced by the subscriber context to identify any matching policies. Subsequently, the requested application or service is delivered to the subscriber via the communication device according to the matching policies as described by a service profile. This service profile is accessible for describing the application or service when requested by other subscribers. In addition, in some cases each application or service is described by a single set of polices in the service profile. In these instances, each request for the application or service is fulfilled according to that single set of policies.

Directory-enabled intelligent broadband service switch

Distributed connection-oriented services for switched communications networks

An apparatus and method for allocating the performance of applications in a networking chassis among one or more modules in the chassis. In particular, the system acts as a chassis agent for performing network management functions. The agent performs a discovery function whereby each module discovers the location and current utilization of resources and applications for itself and transmits that information to other modules, and wherein each module maintains a slot table of such information for all modules. Based on the information in the slot table, each module performs an election function for allocating applications among the various modules in the chassis. The agent uses MIBs to gather information about the chassis and to effect control on the chassis, wherein each managed object is registered both locally and remotely in a MIB tree maintained on each module, and the data is maintained locally on the module on which the managed object resides. The system enables the chassis to be managed &ldquo;as a whole&rdquo; while the management functions are distributed across the system, and the system is both fault tolerant and enables ready expansion and modification of the management applications.

Distributed chassis agent for network management

Apparatus and method wherein multiple router interfaces are assigned the same IP network address, creating an IP work group. This enhances host mobility by allowing, in one embodiment, a host to be relocated anywhere in the work group without requiring reconfiguration of the host. As a further option, host address ranges may be specified (i.e., locked) to designated interfaces of the work group, to enhance security by restricting the allowed host mobility within the work group. An additional advantage is a reduced consumption of network and subnet addresses, because now a single address is used for several physical networks.

Internet protocol (IP) work group routing

Method and apparatus for establishing restricted broadcast groups in a switched network. The method assigns different virtual LAN identifiers (VLAN-IDs) to different subsets of associated end systems or access ports. Tables are maintained for mapping the VLAN-IDs with associated end systems and access ports. When a broadcast packet is received at a first switch, it is encapsulated with a VLAN header, including the VLAN-IDs, and sent out a multicast channel to all other switches in the network (domain). The original packet is sent out the other access ports of the receiving switch for the designated VLAN-IDs. The switches receiving the VLAN packet remove the header and send the original packet out access ports associated with the VLAN-IDs extracted from the header. The method provides a mechanism for forwarding broadcast packets of a protocol not supported by the switching mechanism, as well as multicast packets and unicast packets from undiscovered end systems.

Method for establishing restricted broadcast groups in a switched network

An interconnecting apparatus includes one or more interfaces. Each interface connects to a network. The interconnecting apparatus interconnects the networks attached to the interfaces. The device utilizes distributed autonomous forwarding engines on each interface in that each interface has a forwarding engine corresponding to it. Each forwarding engine only knows the configuration information and how to receive and transmit packets on the one interface to which it corresponds. Each forwarding engine acts independently to process packets, yet each interacts together to collectively provide packet forwarding which is protocol independent, interface independent, and scalable.

Network interconnecting apparatus having a separate forwarding engine

Growing community of inventors

Bedford, NH, United States of America

Kurt A Dobbins