A method and apparatus for communicating over a network is provided. The method includes obtaining building block codes, where the building blocks codes are capable of being used together to provide an end-to-end service. The building block codes are sent to each appropriate building block controller, where each building block controller is associated with a corresponding network node. Upon receiving a first packet of a connection for the first end-to-end service, a determination as to which network nodes of the plurality of network nodes should be used as network hops for the connection, and as to, for each network node that should be used as a network hop for the connection, which building block codes should be used by the building block controller corresponding to the network node. These determinations are communicated to each of the appropriate building block controllers.