Apparatus and method for connection switching and control

摘要

In a communication network including connection switching exchanges such as an ATM, a connection management means is provided in a network management unit of the communication network. A group of logical connections with a fixed group size and consecutive identifiers assigned to the connections is treated as a unit. The number of logical connections in such a group is an integer with power of 2. Logical connections in the communication network and connection identifiers assigned to the logical connections are set up and released in connection setting units each equal to a multiple of the group size in a unitary manner across the whole communication network. A priority level is assigned to each connection setting unit. When logical connections have been set for a plurality of connection setting units sharing the same connection identifiers, logical connections with the shared connection identifiers pertaining to a connection setting unit with a smallest size is considered to be valid.