METHOD FOR ESTABLISHING A LOGICAL CONNECTION IN A TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK
A method and apparatus are provided for interconnecting endpoints in a packet switched network wherein each link and endpoint in the network appears to be merely a receiver of an incoming call. In a specific embodiment, a Conferencing Management Controller (22) is provided which subsumes the functions of a multipoint control unit and Gatekeeper (24) without requiring the allocation of resources of a Media Processor to each link. In a more specific embodiment a conferencing management controller (22) comprises a Gatekeeper (24) with an associated Media (26) and Call Controller (27) for establishing calls to at least two endpoints as call receivers and directing the endpoints to communicate via direct path media for exchanging payload while maintaining control over the link.