| 摘要 |
Embodiments of the invention provide a network management sub-system which is preferably logically separate from the routing nodes (including gateway nodes) of a network. The network management sub-system receives load information relating to present packet flows on existing predetermined paths in the network , and when a request for admittance of a new packet flow is received, is able to make a decision as to whether the new flow should be both: i) admitted to the network; and ii) on to which path; in substantially the same process step. This is possible because the admission control and routing algorithms are integrated into a single process, the result of which provides both an admission control decision as well as a routing decision at the same time. By performing such an operation in a management subsystem which is separate from the routing nodes, there is no need for such functionality to be duplicated in nodes across the network, and instead the routing nodes are relieved of the burden of having to make such decision themselves. As a consequence, the network nodes can be kept simpler, and network control can be retained by the network operator in the management sub-system.
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