Distributed interactive multimedia system architecture

• US 5,838,683 A
• Filed: 03/13/1995
• Issued: 11/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Selsius Systems Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Pearce, Christopher E., McClung, Michael H., Corley, Robert David, Hahn, Paul S., Dunlap, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, DANG T
• Application Number:
  US08/402,834
• Time in Patent Office: 1,345 Days
• Field of Search: 370/110.1, 370/94.1-94.3, 370/60, 370/60.1, 370/53, 370/56, 370/58.1, 370/58.2, 370/85.6, 370/62, 370/85.13, 370/216, 370/217, 370/219, 370/220, 370/226 , 370/227, 370/228, 370/247, 370/248, 370/251, 370/256, 370/257, 370/351, 370/400, 370/401, 370/404, 370/406, 370/408, 370/431, 370/908, 370/901, 340/825.5, 340/825.51, 379/202, 371/20.2, 371/20.1, 371/20.3
• US Class Current: 370/408
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5615 Network termination, e.g. NT1, NT2, PBX
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/5663 Support of N-ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 11/0478 Provisions for broadband connections

Abstract

Various aspects of an interactive multimedia system and associated methods. In general, the multimedia system employs central and peripheral hubs that function to provide services to a plurality of clients of a call manager server, or manager subsystem. The hubs and subsystem cooperate to serve requests originating in the plurality of clients. The client-server-client architecture allows for distributed processing and resource management. Redundant connections between the various network subsystems and hubs provide survivability. Each subsystem or hub is provided with the ability to initialize or recover from systemic errors, thereby distributing initialization and recovery. Certain of the distributed resources are capable of being managed from other subsystems, thereby allowing sharing of the resources. An open numbering plan allows efficient call treatment of dialed numbers. Call processing is sharable between multiple manager subsystems. Finally, an iterative process is employed to ensure that calls routed through the network travel the shortest possible path.

Claims

1. A survivable communications network, comprising:

first and second manager subsystems, said first and second manager subsystems having first and second equivalent manager subsystem resources associated therewith, respectively;

first and second central hubs, each of said first and second central hubs having first and second equivalent central hub resources associated therewith, respectively;

a peripheral hub having peripheral hub resources associated therewith;

a common bus capable of coupling a selectable one of said first and second central hubs to a selectable one of said first and second manager subsystems, said first central hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second manager subsystems and coupling instead to an operating one of said first and second manager subsystems, said second central hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second manager subsystems and coupling instead to a functioning one of said first and second manager subsystems; and

first and second redundant channels coupling said peripheral hub to said first and second central hubs, respectively, said peripheral hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second central hubs and coupling instead to a functioning one of said first and second central hubs, said network thereby able to survive failure of a selected one of said first and second manager subsystems and a selected one of said first and second central hubs.

2. The communications network as recited in claim 1 further comprising a second common bus capable of coupling a selectable one of said first and second central hubs to a selectable one of said first and second manager subsystems, said network thereby able to survive failure of a selected one of said common and second common buses.

3. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second central hubs are each provided with a default manager subsystem designation controlling to which of said first and second manager subsystems said first and second central hubs initially couple.

4. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein said peripheral hub is provided with a default central hub designation controlling to which of said first and second central hubs said peripheral hub initially couples.

5. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second central hubs each have isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said isochronous switching resources capable of coupling a user information path between first and second client subsystems.

6. The communications network as recited in claim 1 further comprising an isochronous user information path coupled to said peripheral hub, said isochronous user information path adapted to carry multimedia information.

7. The communications network as recited in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of peripheral hubs coupled to a selected one of said first and second central hubs, each of said plurality of peripheral hubs having control of associated resources within said each of said plurality of peripheral hubs, a selected one of said first and second manager subsystems capable of generating a request to a selected one of said plurality of peripheral hubs for access to said resources associated with said selected one, said selected one granting said request only when said associated resources are available.

8. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has feature services resources associated therewith, said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

9. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

10. The communications network as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has media services resources associated therewith, said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

11. A method of providing redundancy in a survivable communications network, comprising the steps of:

providing first and second manager subsystems, said first and second manager subsystems having first and second equivalent manager subsystem resources associated therewith, respectively;

providing first and second central hubs, each of said first and second central hubs having first and second equivalent central hub resources associated therewith, respectively;

providing a peripheral hub having peripheral hub resources associated therewith;

selectively coupling a selectable one of said first and second central hubs to a selectable one of said first and second manager subsystems with a common bus, said first central hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second manager subsystems and coupling instead to an operating one of said first and second manager subsystems, said second central hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second manager subsystems and coupling instead to a functioning one of said first and second manager subsystems; and

selectively coupling said peripheral hub to said first and second central hubs with first and second redundant channels, respectively, said peripheral hub thereby capable of decoupling from a failed one of said first and second central hubs and coupling instead to a functioning one of said first and second central hubs, said network thereby able to survive failure of a selected one of said first and second manager subsystems and a selected one of said first and second central hubs.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of coupling a selectable one of said first and second central hubs to a selectable one of said first and second manager subsystems with a second common bus, said network thereby able to survive failure of a selected one of said common and second common buses.

13. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of controlling, with a default manager subsystem designation provided in each of said first and second central hubs, to which of said first and second manager subsystems said first and second central hubs initially couple.

14. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of controlling, with a default central hub designation provided in said peripheral hub, to which of said first and second central hubs said peripheral hub initially couples.

15. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein said first and second central hubs each have isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of coupling a user information path between first and second client subsystems with said isochronous switching resources.

16. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising an isochronous user information path coupled to said peripheral hub, said method further comprising the step of carrying multimedia information over said isochronous user information path.

17. The method as recited in claim 11 further comprising the step of selectively coupling a plurality of peripheral hubs to a selected one of said first and second central hubs, each of said plurality of peripheral hubs having control of associated resources within said each of said plurality of peripheral hubs, a selected one of said first and second manager subsystems capable of generating a request to a selected one of said plurality of peripheral hubs for access to said resources associated with said selected one, said selected one granting said request only when said associated resources are available.

18. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has feature services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

19. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

20. The method as recited in claim 11 wherein each of said first and second manager subsystems further has media services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

21. A decentralized communications network, comprising:

a first subsystem having first resources associated therewith; and

a second subsystem, coupled to said first subsystem and a client device via corresponding ports, said second subsystem having second resources associated therewith and circuitry adapted to execute a second initialization and recovery procedure, said second initialization and recovery procedure initializing components within said second subsystem, testing a functioning of said corresponding ports and placing said second subsystem in an operational condition to make said second resources available to said client device.

22. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said second subsystem is capable of notifying said first subsystem of said operational condition.

23. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem further has circuitry adapted to execute a first initialization and recovery procedure, said first initialization and recovery procedure initializing components within said first subsystem, testing a functioning of a port coupling said first subsystem to said second subsystem and placing said first subsystem in an operational condition to make said first resources available to said second subsystem.

24. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem is a manager subsystem and said second subsystem is a central hub.

25. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem is a central hub and said second subsystem is a peripheral hub.

26. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first and second subsystems each contain independent data processing circuitry adapted to execute said first and second initialization and recovery procedures independently.

27. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said second hub has isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said isochronous switching resources capable of coupling a user information path between said client device and a second client device.

28. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

29. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

30. The communications network as recited in claim 21 wherein said first subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

31. A method of initializing and recovering subsystems in a decentralized communications network, said network including a first subsystem having first resources associated therewith and a second subsystem, coupled to said first subsystem and a client device via corresponding ports, said second subsystem having second resources associated therewith, the method comprising the steps of:

executing a second initialization and recovery procedure in said second subsystem, said second initialization and recovery procedure;

initializing components within said second subsystem,

testing a functioning of said corresponding ports, and

placing said second subsystem in an operational condition to make said second resources available to said client device.

32. The method as recited in claim 31 further comprising the step of notifying said first subsystem of said operational condition.

33. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem further has circuitry adapted to execute a first initialization and recovery procedure, said method further comprising the steps of initializing components within said first subsystem, testing a functioning of a port coupling said first subsystem to said second subsystem and placing said first subsystem in an operational condition to make said first resources available to said second subsystem with said first initialization and recovery procedure.

34. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem is a manager subsystem and said second subsystem is a central hub.

35. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem is a central hub and said second subsystem is a peripheral hub.

36. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first and second subsystems each contain independent data processing circuitry adapted to execute said first and second initialization and recovery procedures independently.

37. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said second hub has isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of coupling a user information path between said client device and a second client device with said isochronous switching resources.

38. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

39. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

40. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein said first subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

41. A communications network, comprising:

first and second manager subsystems having associated first and second call processing resources, respectively; and

a first device coupled to said first manager subsystem and capable of obtaining access to said first call processing services of said first manager subsystem to initiate a call to a second device coupled to said second manager subsystem, said first manager subsystem creating a process for completing said call, said first manager subsystem communicating said process to second manager subsystem to create said process in said second manager subsystem, said first and second manager subsystems cooperating to provide call processing services to attempt to complete said call from said first device to said second device, said call processing services thereby distributed between said first and second manager subsystems.

42. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein a first signalling channel couples said first device to said first manager subsystem and a second signalling channel couples said second device to said second manager subsystem, said first signalling channel allowing said first device to generate a request to said first manager subsystem for access to said call processing resources of said first manager subsystem, said first manager subsystem granting said request only when said call processing resources are available, said first manager subsystem capable of employing said call processing resources to initiate said call.

43. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein an isochronous user information path is capable of being coupled between said first and second devices to convey said call between said first and second devices.

44. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein a single replicated object-oriented database provides an environment for creating and communicating said process, coupling distributed call processing elements into an apparent single network whole.

45. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first and second manager subsystems communicate across a private network partition.

46. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first device is capable of initiating a multimedia call through said communications network.

47. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first manager subsystem comprises a sequence of instructions executable in a general purpose computer system.

48. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first manager subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

49. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first manager subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

50. The communications network as recited in claim 41 wherein said first manager subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

51. A method of processing a call in a communications network, comprising the steps of:

providing first and second manager subsystems having associated first and second call processing resources, respectively;

initiating a call, from a first device coupled to said first manager subsystem and capable of obtaining access to said first call processing services of said first manager subsystem, to a second device coupled to said second manager subsystem;

creating a process in said first manager subsystem for completing said call; and

communicating said process from said first manager subsystem to second manager subsystem to create said process in said second manager subsystem, said first and second manager subsystems cooperating to provide call processing services to attempt to complete said call from said first device to said second device, said call processing services thereby distributed between said first and second manager subsystems.

52. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein a first signalling channel couples said first device to said first manager subsystem and a second signalling channel couples said second device to said second manager subsystem, said method further comprising the steps of:

allowing said first device to generate a request to said first manager subsystem for access to said call processing resources of said first manager subsystem; and

granting said request only when said call processing resources are available, said first manager subsystem capable of employing said call processing resources to initiate said call.

53. The method as recited in claim 51 further comprising the step of coupling an isochronous user information path between said first and second devices to convey said call between said first and second devices.

54. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein a single replicated object-oriented database provides an environment for creating and communicating said process, coupling distributed call processing elements into an apparent single network whole.

55. The method as recited in claim 51 further comprising the step of communicating across a private network partition with said first and second manager subsystems.

56. The method as recited in claim 51 further comprising the step of initiating a multimedia call with said first device.

57. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein said method is performed, in part, by executing a sequence of instructions in a general purpose computer system.

58. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein said first manager subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

59. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein said first manager subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

60. The method as recited in claim 51 wherein said first manager subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

61. In a communications network having a plurality of distributed nodes coupled together by a web of synchronous communication path segments having substantially equivalent transmission delays associated therewith, a system for routing a call from a source node to a destination node along a shortest path through said communications network, comprising:

a first intermediate node for receiving a request from said source node for a path across said communications network to said destination node, said first intermediate node retrieving first data from a first intermediate database associated with said first intermediate node, said first data representing said shortest path, and forwarding said request through said communications network as a function of said first data; and

a subsequent intermediate node for receiving said request from said first intermediate node for said path across said communications network to said destination node, said subsequent intermediate node retrieving subsequent data from a subsequent intermediate database associated with said subsequent intermediate node, said subsequent data representing said shortest path, and forwarding said request through said communications network as a function of said data.

62. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first and intermediate data are created during an initialization of said communications network.

63. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein an isochronous user information path is capable of being coupled between said source and destination nodes to convey information between said first and second nodes.

64. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first and subsequent intermediate databases are replications of a single object-oriented database.

65. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first and subsequent intermediate nodes communicate across a private network partition.

66. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said source node is capable of initiating a multimedia call through said communications network.

67. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first intermediate node comprises a sequence of instructions executable in a general purpose computer system.

68. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first intermediate node further has feature services resources associated therewith, said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

69. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first intermediate node further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

70. The system as recited in claim 61 wherein said first intermediate node further has media services resources associated therewith, said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

71. In a communications network having a plurality of distributed nodes coupled together by a web of synchronous communication path segments having substantially equivalent transmission delays associated therewith, a method of routing a call from a source node to a destination node along a shortest path through said communications network, comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from said source node into a first intermediate node for a path across said communications network to said destination node, said first intermediate node retrieving first data from a first intermediate database associated with said first intermediate node, said first data representing said shortest path, and forwarding said request through said communications network as a function of said first data; and

receiving said request from said first intermediate node into a subsequent intermediate node for said path across said communications network to said destination node, said subsequent intermediate node retrieving subsequent data from a subsequent intermediate database associated with said subsequent intermediate node, said subsequent data representing said shortest path, and forwarding said request through said communications network as a function of said data.

72. The method as recited in claim 71 further comprising the step of creating said first and intermediate data during an initialization of said communications network.

73. The method as recited in claim 71 further comprising the step of coupling an isochronous user information path between said source and destination nodes to convey information between said first and second node.

74. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said first and subsequent intermediate databases are replications of a single object-oriented database.

75. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said first and subsequent intermediate nodes communicate across a private network partition.

76. The method as recited in claim 71 further comprising the step of initiating a multimedia call through said communications network with said source node.

77. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said method is performed, in part, by executing a sequence of instructions in a general purpose computer system.

78. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said first intermediate node further has feature services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

79. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said first intermediate node further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

80. The method as recited in claim 71 wherein said first intermediate node further has media services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

81. A communications network, comprising:

first and second client subsystems;

a server subsystem having transport resources associated therewith;

a plurality of hubs coupled to said server subsystem, each of said plurality of hubs having control of associated resources within said each of said plurality of hubs, said server subsystem capable of generating a request to a selected one of said plurality of hubs for access to said resources associated with said selected one, said selected one granting said request only when said associated resources are available;

a first signalling channel coupling said first client subsystem to said server subsystem and a second signalling channel coupling said second client subsystem to said server subsystem, said first signalling channel allowing said first client subsystem to generate a request to said server subsystem for access to said transport resources of said server subsystem, said server subsystem granting said request only when said transport resources are available, said server subsystem capable of employing said transport resources to initiate a call between said first and second client subsystems; and

an isochronous user information path capable of being coupled between said first and second client subsystems to convey said call between said first and second client subsystems.

82. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein one of said plurality of hubs has isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said isochronous switching resources capable of coupling said user information path between said first and second client subsystems, said server subsystem generating a request to said hub for access to said isochronous switching resource of said hub, said hub granting said request only when said isochronous switching resources are available.

83. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said isochronous user information path is adapted to carry multimedia information.

84. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said second signalling channel passes through a second server subsystem associated with said second client subsystem.

85. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said first client subsystem is capable of initiating a multimedia call through said communications network.

86. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said server subsystem comprises a sequence of instructions executable in a general purpose computer system.

87. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said server subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

88. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said server subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

89. The communications network as recited in claim 81 wherein said server subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.

90. A method of establishing a call in a communications network, comprising the steps of:

coupling first and second client subsystems to a server subsystem, having transport resources associated therewith, through first and second signalling channels, respectively;

coupling a plurality of hubs to said server subsystem, each of said plurality of hubs having control of associated resources within said each of said plurality of hubs, said server subsystem capable of generating a request to a selected one of said plurality of hubs for access to said resources associated with said selected one, said selected one granting said request only when said associated resources are available;

generating a request from said first client subsystem to said server subsystem and allowing said first client subsystem access to transport resources associated with said server subsystem, said server subsystem granting said request only when said transport resources are available, said server subsystem capable of employing said transport resources to initiate a call between said first client subsystem and said second client subsystem; and

coupling an isochronous user information path between said first and second client subsystems to convey said call between said first and second client subsystems.

91. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein one of said plurality of hubs has isochronous switching resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of coupling said user information path between said first and second client subsystems with said isochronous switching resources, said server subsystem generating a request to said hub for access to said isochronous switching resource of said hub, said hub granting said request only when said isochronous switching resources are available.

92. The method as recited in claim 90 further comprising the step of carrying multimedia information over said isochronous user information path.

93. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein said second signalling channel passes through a second server subsystem associated with said second client subsystem.

94. The method as recited in claim 90 further comprising the step of initiating a multimedia call through said communications network with said first client subsystem.

95. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein said method is performed, in part, by executing a sequence of instructions in a general purpose computer system.

96. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein said server subsystem further has feature services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said feature services resources selected from the group consisting of:

transfer,

conference,

hold,

drop,

record/playback, and

numbering plan database.

97. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein said server subsystem further has connectivity services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said connectivity services resources selected from the group consisting of:

point-to-point,

point-to-multipoint, and

multipoint-to-multipoint.

98. The method as recited in claim 90 wherein said server subsystem further has media services resources associated therewith, said method further comprising the step of accessing said media services resources selected from the group consisting of:

video encode/decode,

video record/playback,

voice encode/decode,

voice record/playback,

speech detection, and

data encode/decode.