A frame relay (FR) protection method generates an OAM frame to other nodes
upon detecting a defect on a SONET ring. The protection frame comprises a
type of failure and a location of failure. A node that detected the
defect transmits the protection frame to other nodes about the location
of the failure and the type failure. Protection tables are provided for
switching a working fiber link to a protection fiber link. A protection
switching provides a method re-establish FR traffic in spite of a
detected failure on a SONET ring.