IP/ATM network adaptation
First Claim
1. A digital communications network comprising:
- a plurality of network hosts;
an ATM communication medium connecting the network hosts;
one or more traffic classification parameters stored by at least one of the network hosts;
an IP/ATM protocol layer executing on at least one of the network hosts to adapt an IP network protocol to an underlying ATM network, the IP/ATM protocol layer performing the following steps;
classifying packets submitted from the IP network protocol as data traffic or control traffic by comparing implicit characteristics of the submitted packets to the traffic classification parameters;
defining a first ATM connection type having a relatively high bandwidth and a relatively short time-out;
defining a second ATM connection type having a relatively low bandwidth and a relatively long time-out;
establishing and using ATM connections of the first type to transmit submitted packets classified as data traffic;
establishing and using ATM connections of the second type to transmit submitted packets classified as control traffic.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A digital communications network comprises a plurality of network hosts connected to communicate using an ATM network. Each network host uses policies (configured by the network administrator) to control an IP/ATM protocol layer. Based on these policies, the IP/ATM protocol layer classifies submitted IP packets and establishes and manages ATM connections having parameters appropriate for each class of traffic. By configuring the policies, the network administrator can tune the hosts to optimally use network resources. The resources of primary concern are available bandwidth and connection setup capacity. In the simplest case, the IP/ATM protocol layer classifies packets submitted from the IP network protocol as data traffic or control traffic based on packet size. Generally, large IP packets are classified as data traffic, while smaller IP packets are classified as control traffic. Data traffic is sent over the ATM network using ATM connections having relatively high bandwidths and relatively short time-outs. Control traffic is sent over the ATM network using ATM connections having relatively low bandwidths and relatively long time-outs.
158 Citations
53 Claims
-
1. A digital communications network comprising:
-
a plurality of network hosts; an ATM communication medium connecting the network hosts; one or more traffic classification parameters stored by at least one of the network hosts; an IP/ATM protocol layer executing on at least one of the network hosts to adapt an IP network protocol to an underlying ATM network, the IP/ATM protocol layer performing the following steps; classifying packets submitted from the IP network protocol as data traffic or control traffic by comparing implicit characteristics of the submitted packets to the traffic classification parameters; defining a first ATM connection type having a relatively high bandwidth and a relatively short time-out; defining a second ATM connection type having a relatively low bandwidth and a relatively long time-out; establishing and using ATM connections of the first type to transmit submitted packets classified as data traffic; establishing and using ATM connections of the second type to transmit submitted packets classified as control traffic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A digital communications network comprising:
-
a plurality of network hosts; an ATM communication medium connecting the network hosts; configuration parameters stored by at least one of the network hosts, the configuration parameters including bandwidth, time-out, and one or more traffic classification parameters; an IP/ATM protocol layer executing on at least one of the network hosts to adapt an IP network protocol to an underlying ATM network protocol, the IP/ATM protocol layer performing the following steps; determining classifications of packets submitted from the IP network protocol by comparing implicit characteristics of the submitted IP packets to the traffic classification parameters; establishing and using ATM connections to transmit the submitted IP packets over the ATM communications medium; specifying connection parameters for said ATM connections as a function of the determined classifications of the submitted packets and in accordance with the stored bandwidth and time-out configuration parameters. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of adapting an IP network protocol to an underlying ATM network, the method comprising the following steps:
-
defining a plurality of submitted traffic classifications including data traffic and control traffic classifications; classifying packets submitted under the IP network protocol in accordance with the submitted traffic classifications by referring to information that is contained within said submitted packets; defining a first ATM connection type having a relatively high bandwidth and a relatively short time-out; defining a second ATM connection type having a relatively low bandwidth and a relatively long time-out; establishing and using ATM connections of the first type to transmit submitted packets classified as data traffic; establishing and using ATM connections of the second type to transmit submitted packets classified as control traffic. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A method of adapting a connectionless network protocol to an underlying connection-oriented network protocol, the method comprising the following steps:
-
determining classifications of traffic submitted from the connectionless network protocol in accordance with implicit characteristics of the submitted traffic; transmitting the submitted traffic using connections established under the connection-oriented network protocol; specifying connection parameters for said connections as a function of the determined classifications of the submitted traffic. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method of adapting a connectionless network protocol to an underlying connection-oriented network protocol, the method comprising the following steps:
-
defining a plurality of submitted traffic classifications for traffic submitted under the connectionless network protocol; classifying the submitted traffic accordance with the submitted traffic classifications; defining a plurality of connection types that are supported under the connection-oriented network protocol, said connection types being defined in terms of at least bandwidth and time-out; mapping the submitted traffic classifications to the connection types; transmitting the submitted traffic using connection types to which the classifications of the submitted traffic are mapped. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
-
-
46. A computer-readable storage medium that stores an IP/ATM protocol layer for adapting an IP network protocol to an underlying ATM network, the ATM protocol layer comprising instructions that are executable on a machine to perform the following steps:
-
determining classifications of packets submitted under the IP network protocol by referring to information that is contained within said submitted packets; transmitting the submitted packets using ATM connections; specifying connection parameters for said ATM connections as a function of the determined classifications of the submitted packets. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
-
Specification