A method for automated provisioning of services in DWDM networks, comprising the steps of: obtaining a service request comprising at least a desired service, regeneration preferences, wavelength preferences and routing preferences; performing, using a CPU, a routing and wavelength assignment algorithm in accordance with a network and services inventory; creating the desired service in the inventory based on results of the routing and wavelength assignment algorithm; processing the desired service; and activating the desired service in the DWDM network, wherein said step of performing the routing and wavelength assignment algorithm comprises the steps of: computing an ordered list of shortest candidate routes; iterating over the ordered list of shortest candidate routes to compute common wavelength sets using a hierarchical pair-wise common channel set algorithm; determining whether the common wavelength sets meet the regeneration preferences, wherein if a candidate route is not found suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences, another candidate route is considered for the service until a candidate route is found that is suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences; determining whether resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions; when the resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with OEO conversions, including computing route path wavelengths along with transponder pairs at regeneration sites for the candidate route; when the resulting channel assignments do not have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with a single wavelength assignment; and assigning the candidate route and updating the inventory; wherein optimal OEO regeneration nodes are selected using rank order of the common channel sets, while considering availability of required transponder ports at the optimal OEO regeneration nodes. obtaining a service request comprising at least a desired service, regeneration preferences, wavelength preferences and routing preferences; performing, using a CPU, a routing and wavelength assignment algorithm in accordance with a network and services inventory; creating the desired service in the inventory based on results of the routing and wavelength assignment algorithm; processing the desired service; and activating the desired service in the DWDM network, wherein said step of performing the routing and wavelength assignment algorithm comprises the steps of: computing an ordered list of shortest candidate routes; iterating over the ordered list of shortest candidate routes to compute common wavelength sets using a hierarchical pair-wise common channel set algorithm; determining whether the common wavelength sets meet the regeneration preferences, wherein if a candidate route is not found suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences, another candidate route is considered for the service until a candidate route is found that is suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences; determining whether resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions; when the resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with OEO conversions, including computing route path wavelengths along with transponder pairs at regeneration sites for the candidate route; when the resulting channel assignments do not have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with a single wavelength assignment; and assigning the candidate route and updating the inventory; computing an ordered list of shortest candidate routes; iterating over the ordered list of shortest candidate routes to compute common wavelength sets using a hierarchical pair-wise common channel set algorithm; determining whether the common wavelength sets meet the regeneration preferences, wherein if a candidate route is not found suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences, another candidate route is considered for the service until a candidate route is found that is suitable with respect to the regeneration preferences; determining whether resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions; when the resulting channel assignments have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with OEO conversions, including computing route path wavelengths along with transponder pairs at regeneration sites for the candidate route; when the resulting channel assignments do not have OEO conversions, computing a candidate route with a single wavelength assignment; and assigning the candidate route and updating the inventory; wherein optimal OEO regeneration nodes are selected using rank order of the common channel sets, while considering availability of required transponder ports at the optimal OEO regeneration nodes.