Patent ID: 6449650
Filing Date: 2002-09-10
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for controlling connection quality in a data communication network connecting a plurality of sites, the method comprising:a) providing a stored service template comprising computer readable information specifying a service topology for a service and computer readable information specifying QoS requirements for one or more data connections the service, wherein the service template comprises: (i) information specifying types of endpoints that can participate in providing and consuming the service; (ii) information defining data connections between the endpoints; (iii) information specifying a Quality of Service required by each of the data connections; and, (iv) information specifying at least partial information about how to classify data packets so as to associate them with data connections of the service; b) accepting user input specifying two or more endpoints for the service; c) in a programmed computer generating from the computer readable information in the template and the user input a set of rule revisions for classifying and dispatching data packets in the one or more data connections at one or more packet processing devices in the network; and, d) implementing the service by distributing the rule revisions to the one or more packet processing devices.