This feature introduces a generic operational group object which associates different service endpoints (pseudowires and SAPs) located in the same or in different service instances. The operational group status is derived from the status of the individual components using specific rules specific to the application using the concept. A number of other service entities, the monitoring objects, can be configured to monitor the operational group status and to perform specific actions as a result of status transitions. For example, if the operational group goes down, the monitoring objects are brought down.