Patent ID: 6308282
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A fault-tolerant communication network, comprising:at least two nodes, wherein each of the at least two nodes is connected to a plurality of channels for data transmission; anda network fault-tolerance manager associated with each of the at least two nodes, wherein the network fault-tolerance manager associated with a node directs that node to selectively transmit data packets on one of the plurality of channels connected to that node, further wherein the network fault-tolerance managers reside in a logical hierarchy above a physical layer of the network and below a transport layer of the network, still further wherein each network fault-tolerance manager communicates with other network fault-tolerance managers;wherein the plurality of channels utilize network resources, further wherein the network resources utilized for a first channel of the plurality of channels is shared with the network resources utilized by a second channel of the plurality of channels.