A synchronous optical network (SONET) system having multi-hierarchal network service access point (NSAP) addressing includes a plurality of network elements (NEs) electrically linked, and a first level routing area and a second level routing area that each includes at least one NE. The NEs include devices having respective NSAP addresses and at least one of the NEs is a network controller that controls the SONET. The first level routing area and the second level routing area are based on a predetermined prioritization of the NEs as first level NEs and second level NEs, and have a first level routing and have a second level routing for the NSAP addresses, respectively, and each of the areas is capable of having at least 151 NEs.