Method of setting up a two-directional connection between an initiator node and a terminator node in a communication network with an IP control plane, comprising steps consisting of: producing a first traffic descriptor for a down data flow to be transmitted by the initiator node to the terminator node, and a second traffic descriptor for an up data flow to be received by the initiator node from the terminator node, sending an open connection message comprising the first traffic descriptor and the second traffic descriptor from the initiator node to the terminator node along a connection path in said network, receiving said open connection message at an intermediate node on the connection path, evaluating communication resources of the intermediate node available for said down flow and said up flow, preparing a reservation of first communication resources of the intermediate node for said up data flow as a function of said first traffic descriptor and the availability of communication resources of the intermediate node for said connection, preparing a reservation of second communication resources of the intermediate node for said down data flow as a function of said second traffic descriptor and the availability of communication resources of the intermediate node for said connection, updating the content of said open connection message as a function of said available communication resources and transmitting said updated open connection message from the intermediate node to the terminator node along the connection path, receiving said open connection message at the terminator node, producing a third traffic descriptor for said down flow and a fourth traffic descriptor for said up flow depending on the content of the updated open connection message, and sending a reservation message comprising the third traffic descriptor and the fourth traffic descriptor from the terminator node to the initiator node along the connection path, and reserving (35, 45) communication resources for the down flow as a function of the third traffic descriptor and communication resources for the up flow as a function of the fourth traffic descriptor along the connection path. producing a first traffic descriptor for a down data flow to be transmitted by the initiator node to the terminator node, and a second traffic descriptor for an up data flow to be received by the initiator node from the terminator node, sending an open connection message comprising the first traffic descriptor and the second traffic descriptor from the initiator node to the terminator node along a connection path in said network, receiving said open connection message at an intermediate node on the connection path, evaluating communication resources of the intermediate node available for said down flow and said up flow, preparing a reservation of first communication resources of the intermediate node for said up data flow as a function of said first traffic descriptor and the availability of communication resources of the intermediate node for said connection, preparing a reservation of second communication resources of the intermediate node for said down data flow as a function of said second traffic descriptor and the availability of communication resources of the intermediate node for said connection, updating the content of said open connection message as a function of said available communication resources and transmitting said updated open connection message from the intermediate node to the terminator node along the connection path, receiving said open connection message at the terminator node, producing a third traffic descriptor for said down flow and a fourth traffic descriptor for said up flow depending on the content of the updated open connection message, and sending a reservation message comprising the third traffic descriptor and the fourth traffic descriptor from the terminator node to the initiator node along the connection path, and reserving (35, 45) communication resources for the down flow as a function of the third traffic descriptor and communication resources for the up flow as a function of the fourth traffic descriptor along the connection path.