Patent ID: 8909778

Claim:
A network device, comprising: a connection manager, stored in a computer readable non-transitory medium, configured to allocate permanent virtual circuit (PVC) connections and switched virtual circuit (SVC) connections on the network device; an SPVC manager configured to generate an SPVC connection message, wherein the SPVC connection message includes a service category parameter, a virtual path identifier (VPI) parameter, a peak cell rate (PCR)/sustained cell rate (SCR) parameter, and an access identifier of the network device that includes an alias for a closed user group (CUG); and a configuration module configured to associate, in response to a command, a destination network device with an access identifier of at least one predetermined source network device from which the destination network device is allowed to accept connections, wherein a new connection service category request is rejected if resources are not available to satisfy the new connection service category request.