Patent ID: 8595787

Claim:
A method of managing dynamic services that are provided over a service network including an access network to which a plurality of network devices are connected and a core network distinct from the access network, said plurality of network devices including an access gateway connecting the access network to the core network, an application manager, and a policy server system located separate from the access gateway and the application manager, wherein the policy server system communicates with the application manager and the access gateway over the core network, said method comprising: storing rules that are accessible to the policy server system, said rules for controlling admission to the access network; at the policy server system, keeping track of state of the access network including state of at least some of the plurality of network devices; at the policy server system, receiving from the application manager a request for establishing a session over the access network; at the policy server system, using both the stored rules and the state of the access network to determine whether to grant the request for establishing the session over the access network; and if it is determined to grant the request for establishing the session, sending one or more policy decisions from the policy server system to one or more network devices among the plurality of network devices to make resources available on the access network for the requested session.