The invention provides for a communication server of a service provider to authorize
resource reservation for a communication session over a packet-switched network
without requiring the communication server to know the identity of or significant
details about the network elements providing the communication.  The communication
server is configured to provide secure authorization objects to the terminal receiving
or delivering information for the communication.  The terminal presents the
authorization object to one or more network elements involved in reserving resources
for the communication.  The network elements will use the object to authorize resource
reservations for communication, and may forward the authorization to additional
network elements involved in reserving resources.