Call admission control/session management based on N source to destination severity levels for IP networks

A method, comprising:

• transmitting a packet of data from a first node to a second node;
• receiving a packet of data at the second node;
• determining a severity level based on the received packet of data;
• transmitting data associated with the severity level to the first node;
• receiving the data associated with the severity level at the first node;
• determining if the severity level has changed;
• and
• applying a call admission policy based on the severity level to regulate the transmission of packets from the first node to the second node.

Processor-readable code stored on a processor-readable medium, the code comprising code to:

• receive data associated with a severity level, the severity level being determined at a second node based on a packet of data transmitted from a first node to a second node;
• determine if the severity level has changed;
• and
• apply a call admission policy based on the severity level to regulate the transmission of packets of data from the first node to the second node.

A method of maintaining quality of service in a network where no quality of service information is received from the network, comprising:

• transmitting a packet of data from a first node to a second node;
• receiving a packet of data at the second node;
• determining a severity level based on the received packet of data;
• transmitting data associated with the severity level to the first node;
• receiving the data associated with the severity level at the first node;
• determining if the severity level has changed;
• and
• applying a call admission policy based on the severity level to regulate the transmission of packets from the first node to the second node without using QoS data from the network.