Patent ID: 7860085

Claim:
A method of managing an Ethernet access network comprising a head end and customer location equipment, wherein the Ethernet access network is adapted to provide TDM services and packet services, the method comprising: defining a relationship between TDM network interface ports of the head end and TDM service interface ports of the customer location equipment; modeling the defined relationship between the TDM network interface ports and the TDM service interface ports as a cross connect system; managing the TDM services of the Ethernet access network by managing the cross connect system through a TDM operations support system (OSS); and managing the packet services of the Ethernet access network through a packet OSS; wherein the head end located at a central office of a network provider is in communication with the customer location equipment located at a customer location over the Ethernet access network; wherein each of the TDM OSS and the packet OSS comprises a system operating outside of the head end and outside of the customer location equipment; and wherein the TDM OSS is different from the packet OSS.