SDH/SONET signals are transported as a service including payload and overhead information by mapping associated payload data or information and selected associated overhead data or information of at least one SDH/SONET client signal to be transported into a SDH/SONET server signal. More specifically, client overhead information of the SDH/SONET client signal is mapped into free overhead positions of the SDH/SONET server signal. The SDH/SONET server signal is then transported with the SDH/SONET client signal including associated payload and overhead information embedded therein.