Abstract: A communication network (1) comprising an optical transport domain network (2) having optical transport nodes connected to each other via physical optical links, packet switched networks (3) each having a boundary router (4) connected to an optical transport node of said optical transport domain network (2) via an access link (5); and a network management apparatus (6) adapted to perform an automatic bandwidth management of said communication network (1), wherein said network management apparatus (6) is adapted to activate or deactivate virtual links (VL), tributary ports and cross-connections between virtual and access links in the optical transport domain (2) in response to data traffic statistics of data transmitted on said access links (5).