Abstract: A backbone network, comprising a first switch comprising a first port configured to communicate a data stream via an Ethernet interface, and a second port configured to communicate the data stream via a SONET/SDH interface, and a second switch comprising a third port configured to receive the data stream from the first switch via the Ethernet interface, wherein the first switch and the second switch are synchronized.

Abstract: A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting transmission of a first frame comprising a first timestamp associated with a transmission time of the first frame, recognizing a reception of a second frame having a reception time, wherein the second frame comprises a second timestamp comprising a downstream node delay associated with a downstream node, measuring a total delay between the transmission time of the first frame and the reception time of the second frame, and calculating a transport delay using the total delay and the downstream node delay. Also disclosed is a clock synchronization method comprising receiving a first frame comprising a first timestamp associated with an upstream clock at a reception time, sending a second frame at a transmission time, and measuring a downstream node delay between the reception time and the transmission time, wherein the second frame comprises the downstream node delay.

Abstract: A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting the communication of a frame of octet-sized timeslots, wherein the timeslots are configured to carry a plurality of data types. Also disclosed is a method comprising communicating a high priority data and a low priority data in a frame comprising a plurality of octet-sized timeslots, wherein each timeslot is assigned to the high priority data or the low priority data, wherein the high priority data is provided in the timeslots assigned to the high priority data, and wherein the low priority data is provided in the timeslots assigned to the low priority data. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising recognizing the reception of a plurality of data streams each having a priority, and promoting the multiplexing of the data streams based on the priority of each data stream.

Abstract: A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting the communication of a frame within a synchronization window, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of data types assigned to a plurality of timeslots, and a timeslot map indicating the data type assigned to each timeslot. Also disclosed is a method comprising receiving a data stream comprising a data structure comprising a plurality of timeslots, each timeslot carrying one of a plurality of data types, receiving a timeslot map indicating the data types assigned to each of the timeslots, and processing each timeslot in accordance with the timeslot map.

Abstract: A network component comprising at least one processor configured to implement a method comprising adding a clock synchronization data to a data stream comprising a plurality of Ethernet packets, wherein the clock synchronization data is located in a gap between two of the Ethernet packets. Also disclosed is a method comprising adding a clock synchronization data to a gap between a plurality of Ethernet packets in a data stream, wherein the clock synchronization data comprises a timestamp, a first bit that indicates whether the clock synchronization data is a request or an acknowledgement, and a second bit that indicates a requested operational mode.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising an ingress controller configured to receive a data frame comprising a high priority data and a low priority data, and an ingress buffer coupled to the ingress controller and configured to buffer the low priority data, wherein the high priority data is not buffered. Also disclosed is a network component, comprising an ingress controller configured to receive a data stream comprising high priority data and low priority data, and an ingress buffer coupled to the ingress controller and configured to receive, buffer, and send the low priority data, and further configured to receive a flow control indication, wherein the ingress buffer varies an amount of the low priority data sent from the ingress buffer in accordance with the flow control indication.

Abstract: A network component comprising at least one processor configured to promote transmission of a frame from a first node to a second node, the frame comprising a first clock synchronization data, and a first frame count, wherein the first clock synchronization data and the first frame count are used to synchronize a first clock in the first node and a second clock in the second node. Also disclosed is a method comprising processing a frame comprising an Ethernet control symbol that delineates the beginning of the frame, a first clock synchronization data, a first frame count, and a second clock synchronization data. Included is an Ethernet node comprising at least one processor configured to synchronize a clock using a clock synchronization data comprising a first timestamp, a first frame count, a second timestamp, and a second frame count.

Abstract: A backbone network, comprising a network switch configured to communicate data over Ethernet and SONET/SDH interfaces without encapsulating the data. Also disclosed is a backbone network, comprising a plurality of synchronized network switches, wherein the switches are configured to communicate a plurality of time division multiplexed data streams across at least part of the network via a plurality of Ethernet interfaces and a plurality of SONET/SDH interfaces, and wherein the switches are configured to communicate the data streams without encapsulating the data streams.