Importance

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Abstract

In a self-healing network, virtual paths between user terminals are classified according to different fault recovery priority levels and communication links are mapped to virtual paths accommodated by the links and to bandwidths remaining in the respective links. Each priority level guarantees a fault recovery with a different amount of network resource. In response to a fault-indicating message identifying a failed virtual path, a search is made through the link-path table for an alternate virtual path and a remaining bandwidth of each link that comprises the alternate virtual path in descending order of the priority classes. In accordance with the priority class of the failed virtual path relative to the priority class of an existing virtual path that shares the same link with the alternate virtual path, a decision is made on whether or not the bandwidth guaranteed by the priority class of the failed virtual path can be allocated to the alternate virtual path from the remaining bandwidth. If the decision is affirmative, the alternate virtual path is established.

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First Claim