Patent ID: 7849225

Claim:
A computer program product including an optical service agent stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for managing communication services for a user in an optical communication system in which the user lacks at least some network information related to the services, comprising: a user-to-network interface (UNI) for interfacing with an optical communication network, including signaling to a network device having network information related to the communication services, including network topological information, to cause the network device to signal an indication of group membership to other devices in communication with the optical communication network; and optical service logic for obtaining a new optical communication path from the optical communication network via the network device by signaling through the UNI, the network device selecting the communication path based at least in-part on user network or application requirements and the network information related to the communication services and managing said optical communication path for the user without exposing the network topological information to the user, whereby the user need not have the network topological information in order to obtain a new optical communication path.