Patent ID: 7450513

Claim:
In a network configured by connecting a plurality of network devices to one another, a network controlling apparatus for controlling setting of a path for carrying out communication between two network devices in said network comprising: a storing unit for storing information for managing said network; and a controlling unit for controlling setting of said network devices relating to a connection at two edge points in said network to obtain path setting meeting a quality guarantee request of a reservation type for said connection, using a path already set or scheduled to be set, or a newly generated path, by referring to said information stored in said storing unit when receiving said quality guarantee request, wherein said storing unit comprises: a path management storing unit for storing management information on said path already set or scheduled to be set; a link information storing unit for storing information about connections among said network devices configuring said network as link information; a request contents storing unit for storing contents of an accepted quality guarantee request; and a network device management information storing unit for storing management information on each of said network devices configuring said network; and said controlling unit comprises: an existing path accommodation capability determining unit for determining whether or not the connection of said quality guarantee request can be accommodated in said path already set or scheduled to be set on the basis of contents of said quality guarantee request and contents stored in said path management storing unit and said link information storing unit; an updating unit for updating the contents stored in said path management storing unit according to the contents of said quality guarantee request when said existing path accommodation capability determining unit determines that the connection of said quality guarantee request can be accommodated in said path already set or scheduled to be set; a request registering unit for entering the contents of said quality guarantee request as accepted contents in said request contents storing unit; and a new route retrieving unit for newly retrieving a route for said connection on the basis of contents stored in said link information storing unit and said network device management information storing unit when said existing path accommodation capability determining unit determines that the connection of said quality guarantee request cannot be accommodated in said path already set or scheduled to be set.