Patent ID: 8670348

Claim:
An apparatus to provision logical circuits for intermittent use in a data network, the apparatus comprising: a processor; and a memory to store machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a customer order for routing data in a data network for a time period; provisioning a logical circuit in the data network for routing the data during the time period, wherein provisioning the logical circuit comprises, without manual intervention, provisioning the logical circuit through a first local access and transport area, an inter-exchange carrier, and a second local access and transport area, and wherein the logical circuit includes first variable communication paths to route the data through the first local access and transport area in which the first variable communication paths automatically reroute from first input and output ports of a first set of switches of the first local access and transport area to second input and output ports of a second set of switches of the first local access and transport area while maintaining the logical circuit, second variable communication paths to route the data through the second local access and transport area, and fixed communication paths to route the data between the first local access and transport area, the second local access and transport area, and the inter-exchange carrier, the second set of switches forming a route associated with the first variable communication paths that is not predefined and that is dynamically defined at a time of automatic rerouting; and adding the logical circuit to a deletion batch for deletion after the time period.