1. An apparatus for configuring a layer or protocol prior to commencement of data communication by a first entity, the apparatus comprising: means for selecting at the first entity a set of one or more layers and one or more protocols to be negotiated, wherein each selected layer and protocol corresponds to an attribute to be negotiated between the first entity and a second entity; means for determining, for each attribute, a list of selected attribute values that includes one or more attribute values considered acceptable to the first entity; means for sending from the first entity a list of selected attributes and their associated lists of selected attribute values; means for receiving at the first entity the list of processed attributes and their associated lists of the processed attribute values, wherein each list of processed attribute values includes one or more attribute values considered acceptable to the second entity; and means for configuring the selected set of one or more layers and one or more protocols in the first entity in accordance with the received list of the processed attributes and their associated lists of the processed attribute values.