| 摘要 |
A connection manager (60) is provided for selecting paths from a plurality of paths (64, 65) available from service providers (61, 62) in a communications network to route broadband traffic in the network. The connection manager (60) includes a connection model (66) indicating functional features supported by each path in the network and locations of terminations for respective paths; a cost model (68) associated with the connection model that exposes the cost of using the functional features for each path (64); and a processing means (69). The processing means of the connection manager is operative, in response to a client (63) requirement for a connection with desired features between specified locations in the network, first to identify, from the connection model (66) in light of the desired features, suitable candidate paths for routing communications traffic between the specified locations and, secondly to determine from the candidate paths and on the basis of cost exposed by the cost model (69), an optimal selection of paths connecting said locations.
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