Patent ID: 8682711

Claim:
A method of providing a recommendation for a service feature in a communication network, comprising: creating, by a processor, a call flow for supporting the service feature in the communication network, where the call flow defines a network component having a software component that is necessary for supporting the service feature that is proposed; determining, by the processor, first cost data for internally developing the network component having the software component required by the call flow to support the service feature that is proposed, wherein internally developing comprises using internal resources of an entity that owns and operates the communication network; determining, by the processor, second cost data for externally procuring the network component having the software component required by the call flow to support the service feature that is proposed from a third party entity; and comparing, by the processor, the first cost data and the second cost data for presenting the recommendation that is selected between a recommendation for internally developing the network component having the software component required by the call flow to support the service feature that is proposed and a recommendation for externally procuring the network component having the software component required by the call flow to support the service feature that is proposed.