Patent ID: 7483438

Claim:
An apparatus for managing network services in a private services network, the apparatus comprising: a services network interface configured to enable communications between the apparatus and the private services network, the private services network allowing a first network service which is provided to users within a first private network service provider system, which is also a client of the private services network, to be made available for use by another client of the private services network outside the first private network service provider system; a services network gateway interface to be operatively coupled to a services network gateway that is configured to exchange communication traffic with an external private services network, the external private services network allowing a second network service which is provided to users within a second private network service provider system which is also a client of the external private services network to be made available for use by another client of the external private services network outside the second private network service provider system; and a proxy module operatively coupled to the services network interface and to the services network gateway interface and configured to receive through the services network interface network service information for the first network service, the first network service having an associated network service access policy specifying a permitted access level for distribution of the first network service in the external private services network, and to control advertisement of the network service information to the external private services network in accordance with the network service access policy associated with the first network service.