A Unified Bandwidth Manager that functions as a multi-service bandwidth manager to interface with and hierarchically manage a plurality of service-specific bandwidth reservation and session management systems is described. The Unified Bandwidth Manager includes at least a hierarchical control structure, and an interface for providing observed information relevant to policy, goal, and resource usage to the hierarchical control structure. The hierarchical control structure is provided with a plurality of feedback inputs that are responsive to associated ongoing observation information from each of an associated observation reporting element. The hierarchical control structure uses the plurality of feedback inputs, together with policy information or goal information, to produce at least one element of outgoing control information.