Management of protocol information in PNNI hierarchical networks

A PAR-enabled device for connection in a PNNI hierarchical network, the PAR-enabled device comprising:

• memory for storing topology data, defining the PNNI topology as seen by the PAR-enabled device when connected in said network, and PAR PTSEs received by the PAR-enabled device from the network;
• and
• control logic configured to assign topology indicators to protocol information encapsulated in respective received PAR PTSEs, the assignment of a topology indicator to protocol information in a PAR PTSE being dependent on the location in said PNNI topology of the network node which originated that PAR PTSE;
• wherein the control logic is configured to manage the supply of protocol information encapsulated in received PAR PTSEs to a protocol device associated with said PAR-enabled device in a manner dependent on the topology indicators assigned thereto.

A PNNI hierarchical network comprising a plurality of PAR-enabled devices and a plurality of protocol devices, each PAR-enabled device being associated with a protocol device for communication over the network of protocol information generated by that protocol device, wherein:

• said PAR-enabled devices include at least a first PAR-enabled device comprising:
• memory for storing topology data, defining the PNNI topology as seen by said first PAR-enabled device, and PAR PTSEs received by said first PAR-enabled device from the network;
• and control logic configured to assign topology indicators to protocol information encapsulated in respective received PAR PTSEs, the assignment of a topology indicator to protocol information in a PAR PTSE being dependent on the location in said PNNI topology of the network node which originated that PAR PTSE;
• the control logic being further configured to manage the supply of protocol information encapsulated in received PAR PTSEs to the protocol device associated with said first PAR-enabled device such that the protocol information is supplied to the protocol device in an order dependent on the topology indicators assigned thereto;
• and wherein the protocol device associated with said first PAR-enabled device comprises control logic configured to select, in dependence on said order in which protocol information is supplied by said first PAR-enabled device, at least one further protocol device with which to establish a relationship from further protocol devices identified by the supplied protocol information.

A PNNI hierarchical network comprising a plurality of PAR-enabled devices and a plurality of protocol devices, each PAR-enabled device being associated with a protocol device for communication over the network of protocol information generated by that protocol device, wherein:

• said PAR-enabled devices include at least a first PAR-enabled device comprising:
• memory for storing topology data, defining the PNNI topology as seen by said first PAR-enabled device, said PAR PTSEs received by said first PAR-enabled device from the network;
• and control logic configured to assign topology indicators to protocol information encapsulated in respective received PAR PTSEs, the assignment of a topology indicator to protocol information in a PAR PTSE being dependent on the location in said PNNI topology of the network node which originated that PAR PTSE;
• the control logic being further configured to manage the supply of protocol information encapsulated in received PAR PTSEs to the protocol device associated with said first PAR-enabled device such that the protocol information encapsulated in a received PAR PTSE is supplied with a tag comprising the topology indicator assigned thereto;
• and wherein the protocol device associated with said first PAR-enabled device comprises control logic configured to select, in dependence on the tags supplied with the protocol information by said first PAR-enabled device, at least one further protocol device with which to establish a relationship from further protocol devices identified by the supplied protocol information.