In this study, we consider the minimum ADM problem which is the fundamental problem for the cost-effective design of SONET ADM embedded in WDM ring networks. To minimize the number of SONET ADMs, efficient algorithms for the routing and wavelength assignment are needed. We propose a mathematical model based on the graph theory for the problem and propose a branch-and-price approach to solve the suggested model effectively within reasonable time. By exploiting the mathematical structure of ring networks, we developed polynomial time algorithms for column generation subroutine at branch-and-bound tree. In a computer simulation study, the suggested approach can find the optimal solution for sufficient size networks and shows better performance than the greedy heuristic method.