Apparatus for providing services to a network comprising: a generic service node, coupled to the network, for operating in a first state that waits for instructions from the network and, upon receiving instructions to adopt a specific service, operating in a second state to install software to enable the generic service node to provide the specific service to the network; wherein the generic service node communicates with a configuration server to receive the software to enable the generic service node to provide the specific service; the apparatus further comprising: a control node, coupled to the network, for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service; wherein the control node comprises a service directory that defines the specific service on a conditional basis, where the generic service node receives the software for providing the specific service upon a condition occurring, whereby the service directory defines the chains of network services that are created as well as visualized by an administrator so as to enable said administrator to have a number of generic service nodes available to assume a service node identity as prescribed by the administrator when a service chain is created; wherein the specific service is defined in a service policy; wherein the control node further comprises a service broker for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service, wherein said policy defines a service chain as well as a criteria upon which the service broker should insert another service node into the service chain, wherein the criteria is a threshold associated with an active node in the service chain, wherein the threshold defines a level of service that, when exceeded, causes the generic service node to be provisioned in the same manner as the node with the exceeded threshold. a generic service node, coupled to the network, for operating in a first state that waits for instructions from the network and, upon receiving instructions to adopt a specific service, operating in a second state to install software to enable the generic service node to provide the specific service to the network; wherein the generic service node communicates with a configuration server to receive the software to enable the generic service node to provide the specific service; the apparatus further comprising: a control node, coupled to the network, for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service; wherein the control node comprises a service directory that defines the specific service on a conditional basis, where the generic service node receives the software for providing the specific service upon a condition occurring, whereby the service directory defines the chains of network services that are created as well as visualized by an administrator so as to enable said administrator to have a number of generic service nodes available to assume a service node identity as prescribed by the administrator when a service chain is created; wherein the specific service is defined in a service policy; wherein the control node further comprises a service broker for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service, wherein said policy defines a service chain as well as a criteria upon which the service broker should insert another service node into the service chain, wherein the criteria is a threshold associated with an active node in the service chain, wherein the threshold defines a level of service that, when exceeded, causes the generic service node to be provisioned in the same manner as the node with the exceeded threshold. a control node, coupled to the network, for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service; wherein the control node comprises a service directory that defines the specific service on a conditional basis, where the generic service node receives the software for providing the specific service upon a condition occurring, whereby the service directory defines the chains of network services that are created as well as visualized by an administrator so as to enable said administrator to have a number of generic service nodes available to assume a service node identity as prescribed by the administrator when a service chain is created; wherein the specific service is defined in a service policy; wherein the control node further comprises a service broker for instructing the generic service node to provide the specific service, wherein said policy defines a service chain as well as a criteria upon which the service broker should insert another service node into the service chain, wherein the criteria is a threshold associated with an active node in the service chain, wherein the threshold defines a level of service that, when exceeded, causes the generic service node to be provisioned in the same manner as the node with the exceeded threshold.