Creating, modifying and storing service abstractions and role abstractions representing one or more packet rules

A system for controlling usage of network resources on a communications network, the system comprising:

• a rule editing module to create one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communications network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition;
• and
• a service editing module to create one or more service abstractions, each service abstraction representing a named set of one or more of the packet rules.

A system for controlling usage of network resources on a communications network, the system comprising:

• a rule editing module to create one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communications network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition;
• and
• means for creating one or more service abstractions, each service abstraction representing a named set of one or more of the packet rules.

A method of controlling usage of network resources on a communications network, the method comprising acts of:

• (A) creating one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communication network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition;
• and
• (B) creating one or more role abstractions, each role abstraction representing a role of a user with respect to the communications network, and each role abstraction including a set of one more packet rules.

A system for controlling usage of network resources on a communications network, the system comprising:

• a rule editing module to create one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communications network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition;
• and
• a role editing module to create one or more role abstractions, each role abstraction representing a role of a user with respect to the communications network, and each role abstraction including a set of one more packet rules.

A system for controlling usage of network resources on a communications network, the system comprising:

• a rule editing module to create one or more packet rules for analyzing packets received at one or more devices of the communications network, each rule including a condition and action to be taken if a packet received at a device satisfies the condition;
• and
• means for creating one or more role abstractions, each role abstraction representing a role of a user with respect to the communications network, and each role abstraction including a set of one more service abstractions.