Patent ID: 7447239

Claim:
A network element comprising: an ingress apparatus for receiving a data signal, the data signal being comprised of data frames, each data frame comprising at least one payload data structure for providing a respective signal path, and respective path overhead associated with said respective signal path, wherein said respective path overhead occupies a non-fixed position with respect to the data frame; and an egress apparatus arranged to receive data frames from said ingress apparatus; said egress apparatus and said ingress apparatus being located on a common network element, said ingress apparatus comprising a signal processing apparatus arranged to receive an incoming data frame that includes payload data, and to locate a position of the path overhead in the incoming data frame in respect of said respective signal path, and to create an internal data frame for transporting said payload data from said ingress apparatus to said egress apparatus; a monitoring apparatus arranged to extract information from the path overhead located by the signal processing apparatus; and an insertion apparatus arranged to receive, from said monitoring apparatus, information extracted from the path overhead of one or more signal paths, and being further arranged to insert said extracted information, or information derived therefrom, into a respective internal data frame component which occupies a fixed position in said internal data frame, the egress apparatus including an extraction apparatus arranged to extract said information inserted into internal data frame components by said ingress apparatus.