Communication server apparatus providing XDSL services and method

A method comprising:

• at the controller, maintaining a plurality of sets of assignable network addresses, each one of the plurality of sets being associated with a selected one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), each one of the plurality of sets being assignable only to subscribers of the selected one of the plurality of ISPs with which a particular set of assignable network addresses is associated, wherein each set of assignable network addresses comprises a plurality of subsets of network addresses for the selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller coupling to a plurality of digital subscriber line (XDSL) modems and a data line, receiving a request for data service from a subscriber of a selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller identify an availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber;
• at the controller, coupling the data line to a selected one of the XDSL modems to establish a subscriber session, the selected one of the XDSL modems within a modem pool that includes a subset of modems within the XDSL modems, the selected one of the XDSL modems selected based on the availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber and a level of service value associated with the selected one of the XDSL modems;
• at the controller, assigning to the subscriber session a network address from at least one of the plurality of subsets of assignable network addresses that is associated with the selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller, removing the network address assigned to the subscriber session from the set of assignable network addresses when the network address is assigned;
• and
• at the controller, returning the network address assigned to the subscriber session to the set of assignable network addresses when the subscriber session is terminated.

A system comprising:

• a subscriber system operable to generate a request for service;
• and
• a communication server operable to:
• maintain a plurality of sets of assignable network addresses, each one of the plurality of sets being associated with a selected one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), each one of the plurality of sets being assignable only to subscribers of the selected one of the plurality of ISPs with which the set is associated, wherein each set of assignable network addresses comprises a plurality of subsets of network addresses for the selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• receive the request for service from a subscriber of a selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• identify an availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber;
• couple a data line at the communication server to a selected one of a plurality of digital subscriber line (XDSL) modems at the communication server to establish a subscriber session in response to the request for service, the selected one of the plurality of XDSL modems within a modem pool that includes a subset of modems within the plurality of the XDSL modems, the selected one of the XDSL modems selected based on the availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber and a level of service value associated with the selected one of the XDSL modems;
• assign a network address to the subscriber session from at least one of the plurality of subsets of assignable network addresses;
• remove the network address assigned to the subscriber session from the set of assignable network addresses when the network address is assigned;
• return the network address assigned to the subscriber session to the set of assignable network addresses when the subscriber session is terminated.

A system comprising:

• at a controller, means for maintaining a plurality of sets of assignable network addresses, each one of the plurality of sets being associated with a selected one of a plurality of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), each one of the plurality of sets being assignable only to subscribers of the selected one of the plurality of ISPs with which the set is associated, wherein each set of assignable network addresses comprises a plurality of subsets of network addresses for the selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller coupled to a plurality of digital subscriber line (XDSL) modems and a data line, means for receiving a request for data service from a subscriber of a selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller, means for identifying an availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber;
• at the controller, means for coupling the data line to a selected one of the XDSL modems to establish a subscriber session, the selected one of the XDSL modems within a modem pool that includes a subset of modems within the XDSL modems, the selected one of the XDSL modems selected based on the availability guarantee value associated with the subscriber and a level of service value associated with the selected one of the XDSL modems;
• at the controller, means for assigning to the subscriber session a network address from at least one of the plurality of subsets of assignable network addresses that is associated with the selected one of the plurality of ISPs;
• at the controller, means for removing the network address assigned to the subscriber session from the set of assignable network addresses when the network address is assigned;
• and
• at the controller, means for returning the network address assigned to the subscriber session to the set of assignable network addresses when the subscriber session is terminated.