A method, comprising: receiving, at a proxy (140, 150) associated with one or more service endpoints (102, 130), a plurality of base protocol messages formatted in accordance with a plurality of base protocols, said plurality of base protocol messages associated with said one or more service endpoints (102, 130); obtaining, using said plurality of base protocol messages, service information associated with at least one network service; and generating, in response to said plurality of base protocol messages, a plurality of companion protocol messages formatted in accordance with a companion protocol, wherein corresponding proxies (140, 150) are adapted to proxy the plurality of base protocol messages for transmission towards respective service endpoints (102, 130) and at least one of said proxies (140, 150) is operable for generating or terminating at least one companion protocol message to render companion protocol messaging transparent to the service endpoint (102, 130), wherein any protocol may be used as base protocol and any protocol may be used as companion protocol; said at least one companion protocol message generated using at least a portion of said service information; said at least one companion protocol message operable for controlling said at least one network service in a manner transparent to said service endpoint (102, 130), wherein said proxies (140, 150) are connected with respective layer 4/7 switches (142, 152) situated between corresponding proxies (140, 150) and respective service endpoints (102, 130), characterized in that at least one of said layer 4/7 switches (142, 152) is operable for distinguishing base protocol messages from companion protocol messages and redirects base protocol messages proxied by corresponding proxies (140, 150), respectively, for transmission towards the service endpoints (102, 130) and redirects companion protocol messages originated or terminated by corresponding proxies (140, 150), respectively, thereby preventing transmission of companion protocol messages towards the service endpoints (102, 130). receiving, at a proxy (140, 150) associated with one or more service endpoints (102, 130), a plurality of base protocol messages formatted in accordance with a plurality of base protocols, said plurality of base protocol messages associated with said one or more service endpoints (102, 130); obtaining, using said plurality of base protocol messages, service information associated with at least one network service; and generating, in response to said plurality of base protocol messages, a plurality of companion protocol messages formatted in accordance with a companion protocol, wherein corresponding proxies (140, 150) are adapted to proxy the plurality of base protocol messages for transmission towards respective service endpoints (102, 130) and at least one of said proxies (140, 150) is operable for generating or terminating at least one companion protocol message to render companion protocol messaging transparent to the service endpoint (102, 130), wherein any protocol may be used as base protocol and any protocol may be used as companion protocol; said at least one companion protocol message generated using at least a portion of said service information; said at least one companion protocol message operable for controlling said at least one network service in a manner transparent to said service endpoint (102, 130), wherein said proxies (140, 150) are connected with respective layer 4/7 switches (142, 152) situated between corresponding proxies (140, 150) and respective service endpoints (102, 130), characterized in that at least one of said layer 4/7 switches (142, 152) is operable for distinguishing base protocol messages from companion protocol messages and redirects base protocol messages proxied by corresponding proxies (140, 150), respectively, for transmission towards the service endpoints (102, 130) and redirects companion protocol messages originated or terminated by corresponding proxies (140, 150), respectively, thereby preventing transmission of companion protocol messages towards the service endpoints (102, 130).