Importance

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Abstract

A protocol and method for provisioning traffic routes in a BLSR SONET network includes request packets that are broadcast from the source node to neighboring nodes. The neighboring nodes determine whether the route associated with a request packet requires less cost than other request packets previously transmitted by the node, or whether the cost exceeds that of the best response seen by the node so far. If the cost is less, the route in the request packet is updated and the request packet is broadcast to the next neighboring node. If a request packet is received more than once at the same node, the request packet is discarded. When the destination node receives a request packet, it generates a response packet that is propagated through neighboring nodes back toward the source node. If the cost associated in the route is higher than another route known by a node, the response packet is discarded. The source node receives the response packets, determines the route with the lowest cost, and issues a connect packet to establish cross-connects between nodes in the route. The source node may also issue a disconnect packet to dismantle a route.

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First Claim