PATH PROTECTION METHOD AND LAYER TWO SWITCH

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a path protection method and a layer 2 switch by which path protection is attained by low capital investment only for extending a function of an end node and path switching efficiency is enhanced. SOLUTION: In the path protection method, an active side path and a reserve side path are set by associating one or more virtual network identifiers assigned to users with one virtual network identifiers for management and identifying them as one path and switching the active side path to the reserve side path in a section connected point-to-point in a virtual network, and switching is preferentially performed from a path of the virtual network identifier for management with the highest service class by service class information included in the virtual network identifier for management when the active side path and the reserve side path are switched. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT