Device for determining switching paths in a label switched communication network in the presence of selection attributes

A device for determining labeled data stream switchpath(s) in a label switched communication network comprising a multiplicity of label switched routers (LSR), each stream being associated with a chosen forwarding equivalence class and with a chosen set of service data, which device comprises:

• a memory means for storing a table of correspondences between sets of service data and information data representative of at least two chosen criteria and a descriptive structure containing information data representative of a state of utilization and of a topology of the network, and
• a processing means for:
• a) receiving a path set-up request containing a set of service data associated with a stream to be switched, and for determining in said table at least two criteria stored in corresponding relationship to said set of service data associated with the stream,
• b) ensuring the connectivity of said multiplicity of label switched routers, on the basis of information data stored in said descriptive structure,
• c) calculating from among said label switch routers possible paths between a departure node and a destination node taking account of at least one of said two criteria that have been determined and then deducing an ideal solution from performances of said possible paths on at least one of said criteria,
• d) assigning each possible path an interest value taking account of said ideal solution and then classifying said possible paths taking account their respective interest values, and
• e) selecting a path from among said classified possible paths and then associating with said stream to be switched a label representative of said selected path so that said labeled stream is switched via said path to the destination node.