Abstract: A method is provided for traffic aggregation in a hitless protected packet switched network having source and destination nodes. The method includes enabling a working path and a protecting path between the source and destination nodes. The working path is non-overlapping with respect to the protecting path. The method includes generating, using a processor, internal marker packets at working and protecting input ports of the source nodes. Each market packet represents a respective marker time period. The method includes transmitting the marker packets to working and protecting output ports of the source nodes, by the working and protecting input ports of the source nodes. The method includes selectively aggregating, at each of the working and protecting output ports of the source nodes, hitless traffic sent from different working and protecting inputs ports of the source nodes to provide an aggregated flow there from, responsive to the marker packets.

Abstract: A method and system are described for providing hitless protection in a packet switched network having source nodes and destination nodes. The method includes enabling a working path and a protecting path between the source and destination nodes. The working path is non-overlapping with respect to the protecting path. The method further includes replicating traffic in a given one of the source nodes to generate replicated traffic. The method also includes forwarding the traffic and the replicated traffic through a working path and a protecting path, respectively, from the given one of the source nodes to a particular one of the destination nodes. The method additionally includes delivering a hitless-protected service in the particular one of the destination nodes by selecting traffic packets received from either the working path or the protecting path.

Abstract: A packet switched communication system to support hitless protection includes a packet processor; a traffic manager with a buffer sized to compensate a maximum skew of each hitless path pair of a working path and a protecting path; and a hitless processor positioned between the packet processor and the traffic manager, wherein an interface between hitless processor and traffic manager has flow control to start or stop (XON/XOFF) traffic.

Abstract: A method is provided for traffic aggregation in a hitless protected packet switched network having source and destination nodes. The method includes enabling a working path and a protecting path between the source and destination nodes. The working path is non-overlapping with respect to the protecting path. The method includes generating, using a processor, internal marker packets at working and protecting input ports of the source nodes. Each market packet represents a respective marker time period. The method includes transmitting the marker packets to working and protecting output ports of the source nodes, by the working and protecting input ports of the source nodes. The method includes selectively aggregating, at each of the working and protecting output ports of the source nodes, hitless traffic sent from different working and protecting inputs ports of the source nodes to provide an aggregated flow there from, responsive to the marker packets.

Abstract: A method and system are described for providing hitless protection in a packet switched network having source nodes and destination nodes. The method includes enabling a working path and a protecting path between the source and destination nodes. The working path is non-overlapping with respect to the protecting path. The method further includes replicating traffic in a given one of the source nodes to generate replicated traffic. The method also includes forwarding the traffic and the replicated traffic through a working path and a protecting path, respectively, from the given one of the source nodes to a particular one of the destination nodes. The method additionally includes delivering a hitless-protected service in the particular one of the destination nodes by selecting traffic packets received from either the working path or the protecting path.