Method and apparatus for providing variable reliability in a

Abstract

In a telecommunication switching system adapted for handling call signaling information and data in packet format, a number of protocol handlers (150) are interconnected by means of a local area network (171,173). A variable number of spares may be available for each group of protocol handlers as defined by a ratio table (400) stored in the memory of the systems control processor (100). The ratio table may be changed from time to time to redefine the ratio of spares to actives for each group. In response to a request to activate an additional protocol handler in a group, the ratio table is consulted and an error message is generated if the activation of an additional protocol handler causes the specified ratio to be exceeded. A logical address is recorded in the memory of the system's control processor (100) for each active protocol handler and in the event of reassignment of protocol handlers, a spare protocol handler is selected and the logical address associated with the priorly active protocol handler is assigned to the selected protocol handler. In addition, the local area network address of the priorly active protocol handler is assigned to the selected spare protocol handler. A data distribution circuit operating under the control of control data selectively distributes data packets from connected communication lines to the active protocol handlers.