Packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface

A method comprising:

• exchanging, by network elements associated with distinct network domains, signaling and media border processing information between the distinct network domains by way of a secure packet-switched connection between the network elements associated with the distinct network domains;
• exchanging, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, service policy information between the distinct network domains by way of the secure packet-switched connection;
• establishing, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface configured for peering one or more live service sessions between the distinct network domains in accordance with the signaling and media border processing information and the service policy information;
• performing, by a service test subsystem before the one or more live service sessions are peered over the packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface, one or more testing operations configured to test the packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface;
• peering, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, at least one live service session associated with a first service type between the distinct network domains by way of the packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface in accordance with the exchanged signaling and media border processing information;
• peering, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, at least one other live service session associated with a second service type between the distinct network domains by way of the packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface in accordance with the exchanged signaling and media border processing information;
• enforcing, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, a first performance threshold specified by the service policy information for the peering of the at least one live service session associated with the first service type;
• and
• enforcing, by the network elements associated with the distinct network domains, a second performance threshold specified by the service policy information for the peering of the at least one other live service session associated with the second service type.

A system comprising:

• a plurality of network elements associated with distinct network domains and that:
• exchange signaling and media border processing information between the distinct network domains by way of a secure packet-switched connection between the network elements associated with the distinct network domains,
• exchange service policy information between the distinct network domains by way of the secure packet-switched connection,
• peer at least one session associated with a first service type between the distinct network domains by way of a packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface in accordance with the exchanged signaling and media border processing information,
• peer at least one other session associated with a second service type between the distinct network domains by way of the packet-switched network-to-network interconnection interface in accordance with the exchanged signaling and media border processing information,
• enforce a first performance threshold specified by the service policy information for the peering of the at least one session associated with the first service type, and
• enforce a second performance threshold specified by the service policy information for the peering of the at least one other session associated with the second service type.