Method and apparatus for providing quality of service routing in a network

A method for providing quality of service (QoS) routing functions in a network using the open shortest path first (OSPF) routing protocol, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a link resource advertisement for each router in said network, each link resource advertisement including information regarding link resources available on a particular router in said network;
• generating resource reservation advertisements for each router in said network, each resource reservation advertisement including information regarding a particular router's reservations;
• and
• selecting a path for a requested QoS in based on information contained in said link resource advertisement and said resource reservation advertisement.

A method for providing quality of service (QoS) routing functions in a connectionless network having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

• advertising network resources to said nodes in said network;
• selecting a path through said network satisfying a requested QoS routing based on said advertised network sources, said advertised network sources comprising information regarding link resources of a particular node in said network and information regarding a particular node's reservation in said network;
• reserving network resources along said selected path;
• and
• pinning said selected path such that the path does not change in response to changes in network resources.

A method for establishing a quality of service (QoS) routing through a connectionless network having a plurality of nodes, said method comprising the steps of:

• requesting a particular QoS routing through said network;
• determining resources available on each node in said network;
• determining resources currently reserved on each node in said network;
• selecting a path having sufficient resources to satisfy said QoS routing requirements the path selection based upon information regarding link resources available on a particular node in said network and information regarding a particular node's reservations in said network;
• and
• reserving resources along said selected path.