Patent ID: 6973504

Claim:
A method of allocating an aggregation bandwidth in a network system; said network system comprising an inter-site connection network of a plurality of nodes respectively having packet switches, and a plurality of user sites each respectively having at least one of: a host or a network connected to said plurality of nodes through access lines, said method comprising the steps of: when a first user site of interest among said plurality of user sites is to be connected to a second user site among said plurality of user sites through said inter-site connection network, said first user site being connected to said inter-site connection network via a first access line, said second user site being connected to said inter-site connection network via a second access line, setting a path request bandwidth as the least of bandwidth of said first access line and bandwidth of said second access line; calculating a new aggregation bandwidth of a path interconnecting said first user site of interest and said second user site based on bandwidth parameters, said bandwidth parameters comprising said path request bandwidth, a first aggregation bandwidth of an existing path connecting of said first user site and said second user site as a connecting user site, and access line bandwidth of said connecting user site; and allocating said new aggregation bandwidth to said plurality of nodes.