LINK ADVERTISEMENT FOR PATH COMPUTATION IN A COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

摘要

A path computation element for a communications network, receives link advertisements from hybrid nodes (10) of the network and selects paths for new traffic flows based on the received link advertisements. The hybrid node has switching matrices (20, 30) operable using different protocols, and has internal links between the switching matrices. The link advertisements indicate a maximum and a minimum bandwidth on any one of the internal links for a new traffic flow. The element can select a path via the hybrid node for a new traffic flow according to the bandwidth of the requested new traffic flow and according to the maximum and the minimum bandwidth indicated by the link advertisements. Advertising the maximum and minimum bandwidths available for a single new traffic flow for the internal links can enable more efficient path computation with little additional cost and hence maintain scalability of the link advertisements for larger networks.