Automatic protection network switching

1. A method of protecting a protected egress link including:

connecting traffic from a service module to a first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected egress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

connecting the traffic input to the link interface of the first physical module through a pooling switch to a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate egress link, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module.

2. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

3. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

4. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

5. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

6. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the first physical module comprises a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

7. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the second physical module comprises a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

8. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the traffic through the protected egress link and the alternate egress link have a synchronization difference smaller than 50 ms.

9. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the traffic through the protected egress link and the alternate egress link behave in a manner to the user as if there is no synchronization difference between the two traffic flows.

10. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the pooling switch enables multiple logical streams to be included in one physical interface.

11. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein the pooling switch is a packet switch.

12. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 1 , wherein pooling switch is a time division multiplexing switch.

13. A method of protecting a protected ingress link including:

connecting traffic to a service module from a first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected ingress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

connecting the traffic through a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate ingress link through a pooling switch to the link interface of the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module in the event that the traffic through the second physical module from the alternate ingress link is selected to be used.

14. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 13 , wherein the service module decides from information within an input traffic stream to the service module where to output the input traffic stream.

15. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

16. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

17. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

18. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

19. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the first physical module contains a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

20. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the second physical module contains a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

21. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the traffic through the protected ingress link and the alternate ingress link have a synchronization difference smaller than 50 ms.

22. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the traffic through the protected ingress link and the alternate ingress link behave in a manner to the user as if there is no synchronization difference between the two traffic flows.

23. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the pooling switch enables multiple logical streams to be included in one physical interface.

24. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein the pooling switch is a packet switch.

25. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 13 , wherein pooling switch is a time division multiplexing switch.

26. A method of protecting a protected egress link including:

connecting traffic from a service module to a first pooling switch;

connecting the first pooling switch to a first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected egress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

connecting the traffic input to the link interface of the first physical module through a second pooling switch to a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate egress link, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module.

27. A method of protecting a protected ingress link including:

connecting traffic to a service module from a first pooling switch;

connecting the first pooling switch to a first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected ingress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

connecting the traffic through a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate ingress link through a second pooling switch to the link interface of the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module in the event that the traffic through the second physical module from the alternate ingress link is selected to be used.

28. A method of protecting a protected egress link including:

connecting traffic from a service module to a first pooling switch;

connecting the first pooling switch to a first physical module having a link layer framer, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic;

connecting the traffic through the first physical module through a second pooling switch to a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to a protected egress link, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module; and

connecting the traffic through the first physical module through the second pooling switch to a third physical module that is connected via a link interface of the third physical module to an alternate egress link, wherein the traffic in the third physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the third physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module.

29. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 28 , wherein the first physical module does not include a link interface module.

30. A method of protecting a protected egress link as in claim 28 , wherein 1:N protection is provided.

31. A method of protecting a protected ingress link including:

connecting traffic to a service module from a first pooling switch;

connecting the first pooling switch to a first physical module having a link layer framer, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic;

connecting the traffic through a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to a protected ingress link through a second pooling switch to the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module; and

connecting the traffic through a third physical module that is connected via a link interface of the third physical module to an alternate ingress link through the second pooling switch to the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the third physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the third physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module.

32. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 31 , wherein the first physical module does not include a link interface module.

33. A method of protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 31 , wherein 1:N protection is provided.

34. A system for protecting a protected egress link including:

a service module;

a first physical module, wherein the first physical module comprises a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface to the protected egress link, and wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing traffic, and wherein traffic is connected from the service module to the first physical module;

a pooling switch; and

a second physical module, wherein the second physical module is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate egress link, and wherein traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through a link layer framer of the first physical module, and wherein traffic input to the link interface of the first physical module through the polling switch to the second physical module.

35. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

36. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

37. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

38. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

39. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the first physical module comprises a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

40. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the second physical module comprises a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

41. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the traffic through the protected egress link and the alternate egress link have a synchronization difference smaller than 50 ms.

42. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the traffic through the protected egress link and the alternate egress link behave in a manner to the user as if there is no synchronization difference between the two traffic flows.

43. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the pooling switch enables multiple logical streams to be included in one physical interface.

44. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein the pooling switch is a packet switch.

45. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 34 , wherein pooling switch is a time division multiplexing switch.

46. A system for protecting a protected ingress link including:

a service module;

a first physical module, wherein the first physical module comprises a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface to the protected ingress link, and wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing traffic, and wherein traffic is connected from the service module to the first physical module;

a pooling switch; and

a second physical module, wherein the second physical module is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate ingress link, and wherein traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through a link layer framer of the first physical module in the event that the traffic through the second physical module from the alternate ingress link is selected to be used, and wherein traffic is connected through the second physical module.

47. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the service module decides from information within an input traffic stream to the service module where to output the input traffic stream.

48. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

49. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an optical link interface module.

50. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the link interface of the first physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

51. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the link interface of the second physical module comprises an electrical link interface module.

52. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the first physical module contains a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

53. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the second physical module contains a module that places the traffic in proper form for a pooling switch.

54. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the traffic through the protected ingress link and the alternate ingress link have a synchronization difference smaller than 50 ms.

55. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the traffic through the protected ingress link and the alternate ingress link behave in a manner to the user as if there is no synchronization difference between the two traffic flows.

56. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the pooling switch enables multiple logical streams to be included in one physical interface.

57. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein the pooling switch is a packet switch.

58. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 46 , wherein pooling switch is a time division multiplexing switch.

59. A system for protecting a protected egress link including:

a service module;

a first pooling switch, wherein traffic is connected from the service module to the first pooling switch;

a first physical module, wherein the first pooling switch is connected to the first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected egress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

a second pooling switch;

a second physical module, wherein the traffic input to the link interface of the first physical module is connected through the second pooling switch to the second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate egress link, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module.

60. A system for protecting a protected ingress link including:

a service module;

a first pooling switch, wherein traffic is connected to the service module from the first pooling switch;

a first physical module, wherein the first pooling switch is connected to a first physical module having a link layer framer that is connected via a link interface of the first physical module to the protected ingress link, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic; and

a second physical module, wherein the traffic is connected through the second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to an alternate ingress link through a second pooling switch to the link interface of the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed through the link layer framer of the first physical module in the event that the traffic through the second physical module from the alternate ingress link is selected to be used.

61. A system for protecting a protected egress link including:

a service module;

a first pooling switch, wherein traffic is connected from a service module to a first pooling switch;

a first physical module, wherein the first pooling switch is connected to the first physical module having a link layer framer, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic;

a second pooling switch, wherein the traffic is connected through the first physical module through the second pooling switch to a second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to a protected egress link, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module; and

a third physical module, wherein connecting the traffic is connected through the first physical module through the second pooling switch to the third physical module that is connected via a link interface of the third physical module to an alternate egress link, wherein the traffic in the third physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the third physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module.

62. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 61 , wherein the first physical module does not include a link interface module.

63. A system for protecting a protected egress link as in claim 61 , wherein 1:N protection is provided.

64. A system for protecting a protected ingress link including:

a service module;

a first pooling switch, wherein traffic is connected to the service module from the first pooling switch;

a first physical module, wherein the first pooling switch is connected to the first physical module having a link layer framer, wherein the link layer framer includes a queue for storing the traffic;

the second physical module, wherein the traffic is connected through the second physical module that is connected via a link interface of the second physical module to a protected ingress link through a second pooling switch to the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the second physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the second physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module; and

a third physical module, wherein the traffic is connected through the third physical module that is connected via a link interface of the third physical module to an alternate ingress link through the second pooling switch to the first physical module, wherein the traffic in the third physical module is not processed through a link layer framer of the third physical module but is processed by the link layer framer of the first physical module.

65. A system for protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 64 , wherein the first physical module does not include a link interface module.

66. A system for protecting a protected ingress link as in claim 64 , wherein 1:N protection is provided.