Patent ID: 8238252

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing a telecommunications service between a source node and a destination node in a communications network, wherein the telecommunications service is associated with at least one service requirement, the method comprising: (a) identifying a plurality of fiber segments within the communications network that provide capacity links between the source node and the destination node, wherein each of the plurality of fiber segments is associated with a cost; (b) filtering the plurality of fiber segments to a set of candidate fiber segments for use in forming a route for the telecommunications service based on an analysis of the cost of each of the plurality of fiber segments against the at least one service requirement; (c) selecting from the set of candidate fiber segments at least two fiber segments to form an optimal route for the telecommunications service; (d) verifying whether the optimal route will satisfy the at least one service requirement, wherein the verifying act comprises: (d)(i) identifying one or more network elements communicatively coupled to the at least two selected fiber segments for use in provisioning the telecommunications service over the optimal route; (d)(ii) analyzing the one or more identified network elements to determine whether use of the one or more identified network elements in the optimal route conforms to the at least one service requirement; and (d)(iii) based on the analyzing operation (d)(ii), if use of the one or more identified network elements in the optimal route does not conform to the at least one service requirement, then repeating the selecting operation (c), otherwise selecting the optimal route as the route for the telecommunications service.