Patent ID: 6931024

Claim:
A method for provisioning a data network, the method comprising: provisioning a plurality of service interfaces to support one of a plurality of network services; assigning each of the plurality of service interfaces to subscribers associated with the data network on an access-by-access basis; receiving a configuration request in relation to the data network; formatting the configuration request as a selector; communicating the selector to a network device coupled to the data network, wherein the network device includes: a communication element, wherein the communication element is operable to receive the selector; an electro-mechanical cross-connect, wherein the electro-mechanical cross-connect is operable to route a source to an access point by providing an electrically conductive path between the source and the access point in accordance with a state of the electro-mechanical cross-connect; and a control device, wherein the control device is operable to receive the selector from the communication device, and to provide a control signal to the electro-mechanical cross-connect, and wherein the control signal is a derivative of the selector; and dynamically reprovisioning one of the plurality of service interfaces on an access-by-access basis to support a different one of the plurality of network services based on the number of the subscribers currently assigned to the plurality of service interfaces.