Enhanced transport of ethernet traffic over transport SDH/SONET network

A network manager for managing a SDH/SONET network and handling Ethernet frame signals therein, the SDH/SONET network comprising network elements or nodes and fiber connections connecting the network elements, wherein the manager provides a new layer/network over the SDH/SONET network in order to manage the Ethernet signals over the SDH/SONET network, the new layer/network using the resources of SDH network in such a way as to optimize the provided services and the performances with reference to this specific type of transport, wherein the step of providing a new layer/network comprises:

• defining at least two Ethernet Access Points, namely Ethernet interfaces at the SDH/SONET network boundary where the Ethernet signals can access/leave the SDH/SONET network;
• defining a Link as a pair of Ethernet Access Points providing a point-to-point connection;
• for any pair of Ethernet Access Points, defining corresponding Circuits, namely all the possible routes connecting the pair of Access Points through the SDH/SONET network;
• and
• dividing each Circuit into Pipes, namely a sequence of smaller segments.

A device for handling Ethernet frame signals in a SDH/SONET network, the SDH/SONET network comprising network elements or nodes and fiber connections connecting the network elements, wherein it comprises:

• at least one access point interface for receiving Ethernet frame signals;
• a router of the received Ethernet frame signals to at least one link, wherein a link is a pair of Ethernet Access Points providing a point-to-point connection in the network;
• a selector of an available Circuit, wherein a Circuit is one of the possible routes connecting the pair of Access Points through the network;
• and
• an encapsulator of the Ethernet frame signals into at least one Virtual Container of the selected available Path.