Multiple Chinese carriers commonly use SDH

but not Ethernet interfaces for their backbone router network interlinks

so as to simplify their network operation

maintenance and management.On the basis of analyzing high-rate transport technologies and optical interface formats

this paper discuses the technical feasibility of adopting OTN interface format in highrate interlinks of backbone router networks and the need of supporting OTN overhead in the routers.It conducts laboratory tests on the functions and capabilities of the OTN interfaces of the routers of several venders

verifying that routers developed in compliance of the existing standards and specifications satisfy the requirements for the maintenance and management of backbone router networks in terms of functions

capabilities and interworking.