Abstract: A fast distributed network restoration system and method therefor for restoring disrupted traffic, due to a cut link, in a digital cross-connect system (DCS) network utilizes a two-prong approach whereby both disrupted ends of the cut link simultaneously send out restore messages. To this end, upon detection of a cut link, the end nodes are respectively designated as a Gray Origin node and a Black Origin node. The Gray Origin node begins to broadcast Gray restoration request messages while the Black Origin node begins to broadcast Black restoration request messages to their respective neighbor nodes. As soon as an intermediate node receives one of the restoration request messages, depending on the color attribute of the message, that intermediate node is identified as either a Gray or Black node.