A system for providing a revertive or non-revertive path protection using a Working path and a Protection path between first and second networks, the system comprising first, second, third, and fourth nodes connected between the first and second networks, and each of the nodes comprising: a first port (outwards W and P connections in FIG. 2A) for connecting to a network; Working (inward W connection in FIG. 2A) and Protection (inward P connection in FIG. 2A) ports; a protection switch coupled between the ports for transporting data traffic between the first port and the Working port in working mode and for transporting data traffic between the first port and the Protection port in case of failure detection; and a single enclosure housing the first, Working, and Protection ports and the protection switch, wherein the first port of the first node is connected to terminate a working path of the first network, wherein the first port of the second node is connected to terminate a protection path of the first network, wherein the first port of the third node is connected to terminate a working path of the second network, wherein the first port of the fourth node is connected to terminate a protection path of the second network, wherein the working port of the first node is connected to the working port of the third node using a first packet-based connection (PW-13); and wherein the protection port of the second node is connected to the protection port of the fourth node using a fourth packet-based connection (PW-24), characterized in that: the protection port of the first node is connected to the working port of the fourth node using a second packet-based connection (PW-14); and the working port of the second node is connected to the protection port of the third node using a third packet-based connection (PW-23), wherein the Working and the Protection paths connected to the first or second network are operative in case of a failure in any one of the nodes. a first port (outwards W and P connections in FIG. 2A) for connecting to a network; Working (inward W connection in FIG. 2A) and Protection (inward P connection in FIG. 2A) ports; a protection switch coupled between the ports for transporting data traffic between the first port and the Working port in working mode and for transporting data traffic between the first port and the Protection port in case of failure detection; and a single enclosure housing the first, Working, and Protection ports and the protection switch, wherein the first port of the first node is connected to terminate a working path of the first network, wherein the first port of the second node is connected to terminate a protection path of the first network, wherein the first port of the third node is connected to terminate a working path of the second network, wherein the first port of the fourth node is connected to terminate a protection path of the second network, wherein the working port of the first node is connected to the working port of the third node using a first packet-based connection (PW-13); and wherein the protection port of the second node is connected to the protection port of the fourth node using a fourth packet-based connection (PW-24), characterized in that: the protection port of the first node is connected to the working port of the fourth node using a second packet-based connection (PW-14); and the working port of the second node is connected to the protection port of the third node using a third packet-based connection (PW-23), the protection port of the first node is connected to the working port of the fourth node using a second packet-based connection (PW-14); and the working port of the second node is connected to the protection port of the third node using a third packet-based connection (PW-23), wherein the Working and the Protection paths connected to the first or second network are operative in case of a failure in any one of the nodes.