A novel approach to automatic protection switching for Ethernet optical networks

The so-called Carrier Ethernet has been a promise to take Ethernet to a new stage, eventually becoming a cost effective alternative to SONET/SDH for carrier-grade transport networks. Although some landmark steps have been made in the last 10 years, Ethernet networks are not yet ready to fulfill that promise. One big issue concerns network survivability and related control functions. This paper discusses available options for Ethernet survivability focusing on protection switching and comparing them to SONET/SDH protection schemes. Then, it describes a novel approach to provide a fast automatic protection switching for Ethernet optical networks - optical Ethernet APS (OE-APS).