SONET/SDH is a standardized protocol that defines optical carrier signals for telecommunications transport. It was developed to transport signals from multiple incompatible networks over fiber optic cables (SONET) or metallic cables (SDH). The key components of SONET include STS multiplexers that combine signals, regenerators that repeat signals to eliminate noise, and add/drop multiplexers that allow signals to enter or exit the network. SONET uses a frame structure with overhead and payload to transport data at specific rates and provides clocking and management functions. SONET networks form rings to provide redundancy and alternate paths for fault tolerance.