An ATM network controller

In an ATM network, a data base is provided in a network controller for holding data pertaining to network topology and remaining network resource. The controller has a supervisory circuit that constantly monitors communication links between ATM switches. Route decision and resource reservation logic circutry is provided for updating the data base if a faulty condition is detected by the supervisory circuit. The logic circuitry receives, from a source terminal, a reservation request indicating a reservation of an end-to-end network resource between a scheduled start time and a scheduled end time, and makes a search through the data base to reserve the network resource in the data base if the network resource is available. The logic circuit causes the ATM switches to establish an end-to-end connection using the reserved network resource at the scheduled start time, informs the source terminal of a VCI/VPI of the established connection for the subsequent transmission of messages, releases the established connection when the request in the registration memory indicates the scheduled end time, and removes the request from the registration memory.