The present disclosure relates to carrying synchronization through Ethernet, Optical Transport Network (OTN), and other asynchronous protocols. In one exemplary embodiment, timing markers or symbols are used in packets to enable a downstream device to recover timing based upon a time differential between markers or symbols. Advantageously, enabling Ethernet, OTN, etc. to carry synchronous information will de-risk switching from SONET/SDH to Ethernet and/or OTN for service providers. The present disclosure also includes frame decomposition scheme of the Ethernet stream. Ethernet packets are broken into fixed bandwidth and excess bandwidth. The fixed bandwidth is subdivided into fixed (negotiated) flits, with each flit corresponding to a specific user or combination of users like a private tunnel. This offers service providers a method to provide deterministic and more secure bandwidth over Ethernet to multiple clients.