Patent ID: 7746903

Claim:
A method for managing a network including at least one programmable computer communicatively coupled to a plurality of nodes via a network management server, said network operating in accordance with a SONET Telecommunications Standard that defines a set of synchronous transport signals (STSs), where each STS is divided into two main areas including a transport overhead area that has a section overhead area and a line overhead area, and a synchronous payload envelope (SPE) area for the transmission of data, comprising: selecting from said transport overhead area at least two bytes that are undefined by said SONET Telecommunication Standard for at least one STS-1 of an STS-n frame, where said at least two bytes are selected by a user of said programmable computer or automatically by said programmable computer; exclusively communicating first data between said plurality of nodes in said network using a first data channel formed of a first byte of said at least two bytes that are undefined, said first data encrypted using a first data encryption process that meets encryption requirements of a first defined security level; exclusively communicating second data between said plurality of nodes in said network using a second data channel formed of a second byte of said at least two bytes that are undefined, said second data encrypted using a second data encryption process that meets encryption requirements of a second defined security level different from said first defined security level; determining at said network management server whether an available traffic capacity provided by said first or second data channel is exceeded or whether a channel capacity is underutilized; and performing automatic modification operations at said network management server to automatically modify a channel characteristic of said first or second data channel if it is determined that said available traffic capacity is exceeded or said channel capacity is underutilized; wherein said channel characteristic includes at least one of a location of said at least one byte used to form said first or second data channel within said transport overhead area and a number of bytes comprising said first or second data channel.