Anlage und Verfahren zur Bandbreitenverwaltung in Netzwerken mit mehreren Diensten

A methodology for allocation of transmission capacity in communications networks is provided wherein a collection of constant rate channels is implemented between end points in the network. In that methodology, periodic sources are assigned channels of bandwidth corresponding to the transmission rate for each such source, and bursty sources are assigned to channels providing bandwidth corresponding to a minimum service guarantee for each such bursty source. Channel capacity assigned to periodic services which is not needed by such sources is then made available to bursty sources for accommodating capacity requirements of such bursty sources over and above the minimum service guarantee. Moreover, capacity buffering is made available at an origination node thereby reducing unusable capacity resulting from difficulty in matching available transmission capacity at said node with capacity requirements for sources served by said node due to transmission delay related to distance between said node and one or more of said sources.