Flexible network platform and call processing system

A resource managing system for use in performing call processing comprising:

• a call processing system having a multi-layered software architecture;
• a plurality of physical resources, each physical resource supporting at least one basic capability;
• logical resource objects representing physical resources and translating generic commands into commands understandable by the physical resource represented;
• a resource broker having an index of basic capabilities, each basic capability referring to logical resource objects supporting the basic capability,
• wherein the call processing system requests a basic capability and the resource broker determines the logical resource object supporting the requested basic capability by searching a set of resource objects comprising a plurality of elements, each element comprising a logical resource type, a basic capability, and a preference indication, the resource broker allocating the logical resource object to the call processing system;
• and
• a preference system that determines which logical resource type supports the request in accordance with the preference indication when more than one logical resource satisfies the requested capability,
• wherein each logical resource type has as many elements in the set of resource objects as the logical resource type has basic capabilities it supports.