Abstract: Described is a system and method of protection switching in an Ethernet network. First and second point-to-point Ethernet links are established to data equipment. Identical streams of Ethernet traffic are received at a first Ethernet port and at a second Ethernet port. The stream of Ethernet traffic being received at the first Ethernet port is transmitted to the data equipment over the first point-to-point Ethernet link, while the second Ethernet port is prevented from transmitting the stream of Ethernet traffic received at the second Ethernet port. During a protection switch, transmission of Ethernet traffic ceases over the first point-to-point Ethernet link, and commences over the second point-to-point Ethernet link, the second Ethernet port transmitting the stream of Ethernet traffic being received at the second Ethernet port to the data equipment.

Abstract: Described is a network element for a communications network. Management communications with the network element occur using a single IP address. The network element includes two shelf processors each having a negotiations module. One of the shelf processors has a master status and the other shelf processor has a slave status. A backplane in communication with the shelf processors allows the negotiations modules to exchange data and to determine whether one of the shelf processors has experienced a fault. If a fault is determined in the master shelf processor, the slave shelf processor becomes the master shelf processor and the master shelf processor becomes the slave shelf processor.

Abstract: A system and method for routing operations, administration, and maintenance traffic for an optical network are described. A subset of a routing information set is transmitted to tributary cards of a network element. The tributary cards route operations, administration, and management traffic based on the subset of the routing information.

Abstract: A system and method for configuring a network element to support protection switching in an optical network are described. The network element can operate according to the SONET, SDH, or both optical transport standards. Each tributary card of the network element has a baseline set of triggering parameters for supporting each protection scheme of both optical transport standards. A baseline parameter set for a given protection scheme has those triggering parameters that are common to SDH and SONET optical transport standards. One or more additional triggering parameters may be needed by a tributary card to complete the implementation of a particular protection scheme. These additional triggering parameters can be sent to the tributary cards, as needed, to supplement the baseline parameter sets.

Abstract: A multi-service network element is configurable for use in various types of communications networks. The network element has a service interface card, a service interface electrical connector for receiving the service interface card, an I/O electrical connector for receiving an I/O module, and a backplane. The backplane has a first side, an opposite side, a first means for electrically connecting the service interface electrical connector to the first side, and a second means for electrically connecting the I/O electrical connector to either side of the backplane. The backplane is partitioned into columns and rows of electrical connectors. Each column corresponds to a card slot for receiving a circuit pack and each row corresponds to a section of the backplane having traces for carrying a particular type of electrical signals between circuit packs.

Abstract: A system identification module for storing system specific information is described. The system includes a housing, a module connector and a persistent memory for storing system specific data associated with a communications system having a backplane. The housing and the module connector define an enclosure surrounding the persistent memory. The module connector can be electrically coupled to and removed from the backplane connector. The persistent memory can be a programmable read-only memory device. System specific information such as the system serial number, the date of manufacture, the system vintage and the common language equipment identifier (CLEI) code can be remotely accessed using the system identification module.

Abstract: A packet-aware time division multiplexing (TDM) switch includes one or more ingress ports, one or more egress ports, a TDM switching fabric, and a bandwidth manager. Ingress ports are capable of distinguishing packets. The TDM switching fabric has persistent connections which provide connectivity between each ingress port and each egress port. Packets received at an ingress port are transmitted to one or more egress ports using TDM over one or more switching fabric connections. The congestion of each connection is monitored, and the capacity of the connection may be automatically adjusted based on the monitored congestion. Congestion may be indicated by a utilization of the connection or by a degree to which a buffer for storing packets to be sent over the connection is filled. Statistical multiplexing may be used at ingress ports and/or egress ports in order to eliminate idle packets. The utilization of the switch for data traffic may thus be improved over conventional TDM switches.