A service management system and method. In one embodiment, the service management system includes: (1) a service description repository configured to contain service descriptions that define services in terms of a set of systems and devices that assume roles based on at least one of capabilities and attributes thereof and (2) a service management engine coupled to the service description repository and configured to employ the service description repository and at least one of the systems to deliver a service corresponding to at least one of the service descriptions via at least one of the devices.
