Method and apparatus for connecting two messaging systems having differing synchronizations one of which is message-based

A method for connecting a system utilizing message-based synchronization and including a plurality of nodes interchanging signals containing synchronization messages with information about the priorities of the respective signals in an internal synchronization hierarchy of the system utilizing message-based synchronization, with an external system having an internal format which has an internal synchronization hierarchy characterized by having plural levels said method comprising:

• connecting the external system to the system utilizing message-based synchronization by transmitting synchronization status data in the internal format of the external system from an interface node of the system utilizing message-based synchronization to the external system;
• converting said synchronization status data from a message-based synchronization signature indicating a level, as transmitted by the interface node, in such a manner that the level in the internal synchronization hierarchy of the external system as indicated by the synchronization status transmitted to the external system rises or falls corresponding to the rise and, correspondingly, fall of a predetermined magnitude of the level indicated by the message-based synchronization signature.