Newtork-node for exchanging data information via a path or a detour path

Abstract

Network-nodes (10) comprising data exchangers (30) for exchanging data information via a path with other network-nodes (12) forming part of the path and for exchanging data information via a detour path in response to detections of failures in the path, are provided with bandwidth exchangers (31) for, in response to detections/notifications of failures in the path, exchanging bandwidth information with further network-nodes (13) forming part of the detour path. This is a combination of an advantageous aspect of a protection scheme (detour path set-up prior to failure detection) and an advantageous aspect of a restoration scheme (bandwidth allocation after failure detection). A network comprising this network-node (10) is relatively efficient in terms of bandwidth allocation at a relatively short recovery time. The data exchanger (30) exchanges the data information in accordance with a packet/frame/cell-switching procedure. Network-units (20-28) may be located between the network-nodes (10-15) and comprise data exchangers (40) for exchanging the data information in accordance with a circuit-switching procedure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.