Patent ID: 7606885

Claim:
A topology aware resource manager (RM) within an Internet Protocol telephony system for transmission of multimedia over an IP network, the resource manager comprising: a computer program deployed on a standalone first server, the first server being connected to an IP telephony network and through a first connection to a gatekeeper (Gk), the gatekeeper residing on one of i) a second server connected to the IP network and ii) a router of the IP network and connected to the resource manager via the IP network, such that, via a second connection of the first server and via the IP network, the gatekeeper is connected to the first server, the IP network being routed using one of i) a link state routing protocol, ii) a distance vector protocol, and iii) a static routing; the computer program deployed on the first server providing, within the first server, a routing collection means for collecting routing information concerning the IP network, the routing information collection being from the network through the second connection and without passing through the gatekeeper, with at least one of trace route and Simple Network Management Protocol auto discovery being used by the routing collection means to retrieve the routing information of the IP network for the IP network being routed using the distance vector protocol or the static routing, by peering with the router via the second connection being used by the routing collection means to retrieve the routing information of the IP network for the IP network being routed using the link-state routing; the computer program deployed on the first server providing, within the first server, a resource collection means for collecting resource information concerning resources within the IP network, the resource information collection being retrieved directly from the network through the second connection and without passing via the gatekeeper, the resource information comprising available bandwidth of each resource within the IP network; the computer program deployed on the first server providing, within the first server, a resource map means for creating a resource map by combining said collected routing information and said obtained resource information; and the computer program deployed on the first server providing, within the first server, a management means in communication with the gatekeeper for performing path sensitive resource management issues and admission control within the IP telephone system by using bandwidth information from said resource map, on a voice call link being initiated in response to voice call set-up requests received from the gatekeeper (Gk), including using the resource map in a decision whether sufficient bandwidth resources are available for admitting a present call link being initiating.