Protection switching of virtual connections

摘要

A system and method for protection of virtual connections at the data link layer. The method provides for protection switching in a ring network. The method comprises detecting an error in one of a first and second routes ("the errored route"). Error cells are generated for each virtual connection affected by the detected error. Error cells are transmitted downstream on the errored route. First switch fabric receives the error cells at a downstream network element associated with the errored route. Change in state of the errored route is communicated to a second switch fabric of the downstream network element associated with the other of the first and second routes (the "other route"). When the state of the errored route is worse than the state of the other route, automatically configuring the second switch fabric to establish the other route to be a working route for the virtual connection.