Method and system for ring protection switching

A protection switching system of a first node having communication failure in a ring network, the communication failure occurring on at least one of:

• a non-Ethernet Ring Protection Switching (ERPS) device, a plurality of nodes, and a communication channel, the system comprising:
• a plurality of nodes interconnected in a ring topology forming the ring network, including a first node;
• at least one non-ERPS device within the ring, the non-ERPS device being not capable of setting a Remote Defect Indicator (RDI) bit in Continuity Check Messages (CCMs);
• and
• a network channel connected to each of the plurality of nodes via at least one of the non-ERPS device for transmitting and receiving CCMs,
• wherein the first node is configured to:
• determine a failure condition within the communication channel by:
• checking for receipt of a Loss of Signal (LOS) message from at least one of the non-ERPS device and the plurality of nodes in the communication channel of the ring network, the LOS message indicating that a received signal level is lower than a stipulated amount,
• checking periodically for receipt of CCMs, the CCMs being separate from the LOS message and periodically transmitted and received among the plurality of nodes through at least one non-ERPS device, transparently,
• appropriately set the RDI bit in its CCMs and transmit the same to each of the other plurality of nodes through the non-ERPS device or through a disjoint communication channel, in response to the failure condition, and
• block a port of the first node connected to the non-ERPS device in the failure condition, and transmit a signal fail notification message on ports of the first node connected to the ring network, in response to the failure condition.