Web services architecture for user control and management of optical Internet networks

One of the primary goals of the CA*net 4 network is to provide end users with the ability, on a peer-to-peer basis, to provision, manage, and control the routing of their own lightpaths across the network without the need to signal or request services from any central network management authority or server. A novel approach to such end-user management and control of lightpaths is described, which uses Web services architecture and grid technology.