Shared resources in a multi manager environment

Abstract

A method is described for controlling a shared resource for interconnecting two or more network domains being controlled by different Managers. Multiple Managers control the shared resource for the configuration of a segment of a connection between two different domains and the Managers cooperate in order to control dynamically the shared resource. Different network domains can be connected by a network element or by a link between different network elements belonging to the different network domains. In the first case the shared resource is a connection matrix of the network element, in the second case the shared resource includes the connection matrixes of the different network elements and the link between the network elements. A shared connection matrix includes some connection points for performing the cross-connections within the matrix: some connection points are controlled by one Manager, other connection points are controlled by another Manager and some shared connection points are controlled by both Managers. Multiple Managers control the shared resource by reading and writing information stored into a management information base, according to an explicit or implicit mode, or alternatevely by transmitting messages in the network directly between the Managers, according to a signalling protocol.