Apparatus, system, and method ordering and provisioning variable bandwidth capacity on a network

A system for providing bandwidth comprising:

• a first network node server comprising:
• at least one line-side port to communicate data at a maximum bandwidth capacity on a network;
• and
• a plurality of tributary ports, each tributary port of the plurality of tributary ports for communicating the data at a percentage of the maximum bandwidth capacity;
• and
• a second network node server comprising:
• at least one other line-side port to communicate the data at the maximum bandwidth capacity on the network;
• and
• a plurality of other tributary ports, each other tributary port of the plurality of other tributary ports for communicating the data at a percentage of the maximum bandwidth capacity;
• and
• at least one processor to:
• receive input to reserve the maximum bandwidth capacity on the network;
• process the input to generate a reservation for communicating data between the first network node server and the second network node server by:
• assigning the maximum bandwidth capacity to the at least one line-side capacity port;
• assigning the percentage of the maximum bandwidth capacity to at least one of the plurality of tributary ports;
• assigning the maximum bandwidth capacity to the at least one other line-side capacity port;
• and
• assigning the percentage of the maximum bandwidth capacity to at least one of the other tributary port of the plurality of other tributary ports;
• and
• generate a total fee for reserving bandwidth based on:
• (a) a fee for assigning the maximum bandwidth capacity to the at least one line-side capacity port;
• and, (b) a fee for actual bandwidth consumption based on the percentage of the maximum bandwidth assigned.

A method for reserving bandwidth comprising:

• receiving, at a processor, input to reserve a maximum bandwidth capacity on a network;
• processing, at the at least one processor, the input to generate a reservation for communicating data with a network node server within the network by:
• assigning a maximum bandwidth capacity to at least one line-side capacity port;
• and
• assigning the percentage of the maximum bandwidth capacity to at least one of the plurality of tributary ports, wherein the network node server comprises the at least one line-side port and the plurality of tributary ports;
• and
• generating a total fee for reserving bandwidth based on:
• (a) a fee for assigning the maximum bandwidth capacity to the at least one line-side capacity port;
• and, (b) a fee for actual bandwidth consumption based on the percentage of the maximum bandwidth assigned.