Patent ID: 7110353

Claim:
A distributed digital cross connect system, comprising: two or more network interface islands, each network interface island operable to receive data from and transmit data to a plurality of data channels of a telecommunications network; one or more distributed services nodes, each coupled to two or more network interface islands and operable to transmit the data from a first network interface island to a second network interface island, each distributed services node operable to embed timing signals into the transmitted data in order to distribute a reference timing signal to the network interface islands; an administration system coupled to each distributed services node and each network interface island, operable to transmit switch configuration and telecommunications channel routing data to each network interface island and each distributed services node; wherein the administration system, each distributed services node, and each network interface island further comprises two redundant planes of components, such that the administration system, each distributed services node, and each network interface island can remain fully operable after the failure of one or more components; a first fiber optic conductor coupled to the first redundant plane of each administration and control system, the first redundant plane of each network interface island, and the first redundant plane of each distributed services node, the first fiber optic conductor carrying data in a first direction relative to the location of each network interface island; and a second fiber optic conductor coupled to the first redundant plane of each administration and control system, the first redundant plane of each network interface island, and the first redundant plane of each distributed services node, the second fiber optic conductor carrying data in a second direction relative to the location of each network interface island.