This read-write value caps the maximum path cost PXM's Cost Based Routing will accept when selecting a route for this connection, with default and valid-range behavior differing by controller: under a PAR controller the valid range is 1 to 65535 with a default of 255, while under PNNI it extends to 2147483647 with that same value as the default. An administrator lowers this cap to force the connection onto only relatively low-cost, presumably higher-quality or shorter, paths, while raising it allows the routing logic more flexibility to use costlier alternate paths when needed. For example, leaving cesMaxCost at its PNNI default of 2147483647 effectively removes any cost ceiling on path selection for that connection.