ENCRYPTION SYSTEM, METHOD, AND NETWORK DEVICES

A network includes encryption devices at customer sites and transport devices provide transport functionality for encrypted data for transmission across networks. A method of controlling access to a first plurality of functions of the encryption devices and access to a second plurality functions of the transport devices is disclosed. The method involves providing a customer with access to at least some of the first plurality of functions and providing a network service provider with access to at least some of the second plurality of functions. The method also involves providing the network service provider with restricted access to a first subset of the first plurality of functions and/or providing the network service provider with restricted access to a second subset of the second plurality of functions. This allows the customer and the service provider to share access to hardware resources such as the encryption devices and the transport devices.