A system for providing services in a communications network includes a service
processing function, a universal directory function, and a nodal resource manager.
The service processing function receives service requests, formulates requests
for interworking functions based upon service requests, and formulates resource
requests based upon service requests and interworking functions. The universal
directory function receives addresses from the service processing function and
returns interworking functions based upon addresses. The nodal resource manager
receives resource requests and allocates resources to the service processing function
in response to resource requests. The nodal resource manager maintains a resource
database that includes an entry corresponding to each network resource managed
by the nodal resource manager.
