Next Generation SDH

Muhammad Zeeshan

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 What We Will Cover
Connectionless data transport over SDH
Limitations of SDH
Next Generation SDH
Generic Framing Protocol (GFP)
Virtual Concatenation (VCAT)
Link Capacity Adjusting Scheme (LCAS)

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 NG-SDH – The Background
Today’s telecommunications services are based
on a diverse combination of technologies such
as Ethernet, PDH, IP, SAN, etc

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 Ethernet
Ethernet is the prevailing technology for
LAN

LOCAL AREA
NETWORK

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 Ethernet in Metro Networks
Now it is also being considered as a good
technology for access and metro networks

E
T Metro
H
E
R
N
E
T ETHERNET

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 Why Worry About Ethernet?
Ethernet, the standard technology for local
area networks (LANs), is:
Cheap
Easy to use
Always evolving toward higher rates

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 Ethernet in Metro Networks

SDH
SDH
METRO NETWORK
SDH
SDH
SDH SDH SDH

Ring-1 Ring-2

SDH

SDH
SDH

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 NG-SDH – The Background
Carriers are looking at SDH for routing high volumes of
Ethernet traffic to get long haul transport
Long Haul

Metro Metro

A
N

Metro

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 Connectionless Data Transport – A
Real Challenge
A number of architectures have been
developed for connectionless data
transport (PoS, ATM, etc)
These are limited by cost, complexity or
poor efficiency

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 Connectionless Data Transport
Connectionless data transport requires
long-hauls networks:
To encapsulate data packets
The need to use bandwidth accurately

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 Why SDH In Long-Haul Networks?
SDH/SONET networks offer features for
long-haul transport, that include:
Reliability
Scalability
Built-in protection
Management

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 Trouble with SDH
The traffic type is changing
Challenge… How to use bandwidth
efficiently for both voice and data
traffic
Lack of fine granularity to accommodate
all potential clients’ stream rates

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 Trouble with SDH
The data packet transport (Ethernet, IP,
DVB) is a challenge for SDH
This is because they are connectionless,
use statistical multiplexing, and can be
best-effort technologies
This is the opposite of SDH which is
predictable and based on time division
multiplexing (TDM)

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 NG SDH – Drivers
The drive to SDH Next Generation
development was:
The desire to find one simple encapsulation
method that was capable of accommodating
any data packet protocols
Secondly, the need to use bandwidth
accurately
Solution … A new adaptation protocol
layer is required and a new mapping
mechanism for controlling bandwidth use
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 Next Generation SDH
Next-generation SDH is the evolution and
enhancement of existing SDH networks
It improves network efficiency and broadband
service potential
SDH Next Generation enables transporting data
efficiently, without needing to replace the
installed equipment base

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 Next Generation SDH
The only change needed to update the
network is to replace the edge nodes
The network is then ready to transport
Ethernet, PPP, DVB or SAN frames

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 Next Generation SDH
How NG SDH resolve the problem
Components of NG SDH:
Generic Framing Protocol (GFP)
Virtual Concatenation (VCAT)
Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme (LCAS)

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 Next Generation SDH
These functions are implemented on the
new MSSP nodes which are located at the
edges of the network
They interact with the client data packets
that are aggregated over the SDH/SONET
backplane that continues unchanged
This means that the MSSPs represent the
SDH Next Generation embedded in the
legacy SDH network
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 Next Generation SDH
The architectures are increasingly demanding
long haul transport that today can only be
provided by SDH/DWDM having a massive
installed base, developed over recent decades

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 NG-SDH Features
NG SDH enables operators to provide more data
transport services while increasing the efficiency
of installed SDH base
The technology is implemented in the edge
nodes only, no need to install an overlap
network or migrating all the nodes
This reduces the cost per bit delivered, and will
attract new customers while keeping legacy
services

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 NG SDH Nodes
Multiservice Provisioning Platform (MSPP)
Includes SDH multiplexing, sometimes with add-drop,
plus Ethernet ports, sometimes packet multiplexing
and switching, sometimes WDM
Multiservice Switching Platform (MSSP)
MSPP with a large capacity for TDM switching
Optical Edge Device (OED)
An MSSP with no WDM functions

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 NG SDH Nodes
Multiservice Transport Node (MSTN)
An MSPP with feature-rich packet switching
Multiservice Access Node (MSAN)
An MSPP designed for customer access, largely via
copper pairs carrying Digital-Subscriber Line (DSL)
services

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 Generic Framing Protocol
(GFP)

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 GENERIC FRAMING PROTOCOL
Defined in ITU-T G.7041
Its a mechanism for mapping constant and
variable bit rate data over a transport
network like synchronous SDH frames
GFP support many types of protocols
including those used in local area network
(LAN) and storage area network (SAN)

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 GENERIC FRAMING PROTOCOL
GFP adds a very low overhead to increase
the efficiency of the optical layer
The client signals can be protocol data unit
(PDU) oriented (like IP/PPP or Ethernet
Media Access Control) or can be block-
code oriented (like fiber channel)

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 GFP-F Modes
Currently, two modes of client signal adaptation are
defined for GFP:
Frame-Mapped GFP (GFP-F)
Its a layer 2 encapsulation adaptation mode
GFP-F entirely maps one complete client frame into a single
GFP frame
Idle packets are not transmitted resulting in more efficient
transport
To perform the encapsulation process it is necessary to receive
the complete client packet, but this procedure increases the
latency
Specific mechanisms are required to transport each type of
protocol

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 GFP-F Client Data Mapping

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 GFP-T
Transparent GFP (GFP-T)
Its a layer 1 encapsulation mode
Transparent GFP (GFP-T) is a protocol-independent
encapsulation method in which all client code words are
decoded and mapped into GFP frames
The frames are transmitted immediately without waiting for the
entire client data packet to be received
It is used to adapt block-oriented client data (Gigabit Ethernet,
Fiber Channel and Digital Video Broadcast (DVB))
GFP-T can adapt multiple protocols as long as they are based
on 8B/10B line coding

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 Encapsulation mechanism and the transport of the GFP frames into VC containers

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 GFP Frame Formats And Protocols
PLI PLI: PDU Length Indicator

cHEC (CRC-16) cHEC: core HEC protection

Core Header PTI PFI EXI Type PTI: Payload Type Identifier
PFI: Payload FCS Indicator
UPI EXI Type: Extension Header Identifier
Payload Header UPI: User Payload Identifier
tHEC (CRC-16) tHEC: Type HEC protection
Extension Header EXI EXI: Extension Header Identifier
(optional)
eHEC (CRC-16) eHEC: Extension HEC protection

Payload

Checksum Payload Payload: Space for framed PDU

(optional

pFCS (CRC-32) pFCS: Payload FCS

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 GFP-F and GFP-T Comparison
Byte GFP-F GFP-T
Protocol Transparency Low High
Efficiency High Low
Delay-sensitive protocols No Yes
Encapsulation Protocol Level Layer 2 Layer 1
Optimized for Ethernet SAN, DVB
Statistical multiplexing of Yes No
several client signals
SAN transport No Yes
Ethernet transport Optimum Possible

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 Virtual Concatenation (VCAT)

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 Concatenation
Concatenation is the process of summing the bandwidth
of “X” containers into a larger container
It is well indicated for the transport of big payloads
requiring a container greater than VC-4,
But it is also possible to concatenate low-capacity
containers, such as VC-11 or VC-12
There are two concatenation methods
Contiguous concatenation
Virtual concatenation

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 Contiguous Concatenation
It creates big containers that cannot split
into smaller pieces during transmission
For this, each NE must have a
concatenation functionality

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Contiguous
Concatenation

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 Virtual concatenation
It transports the individual VCs and
aggregates them at the end point of the
transmission path
For this, concatenation functionality is only
needed at the path termination equipment

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Virtual
Concatenation

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 Virtual Concatenation
No Concatenation
1050 Mbps
2.5 Gbps OC-
Gig Ethernet Data 48/STM-16 low
(1.0/1.2 Gbps) efficiency

196 Mbps 622 Mbps OC

ESCON -23/STM-4 low
SAN efficiency
(160/200 Mbps)

150 Mbps
155 Mbps STM-1
OC-3/STM-1 TDM high efficiency
(155 Mbps)
VCAT
STS-3c-7v/VC-4-7v
Gig Ethernet (1050 Mbps)
Data
(1.0/1.2 Gbps)
STS-1-4v/VC-3-4v 2.5 Gbps OC-
ESCON (196 Mbps) 48/STM-16 packed
(160/200 Mbps) SAN at nearly 88%
efficiency
STS-3/STM-1
OC-3/STM-1 (150 Mbps)
(155 Mbps) TDM

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 Contiguous and Virtual
Concatenation Comparison
Contiguous concatenation is less
bandwidth-efficient than virtual
concatenation
Virtual concatenation (VCAT) is a solution
that allows granular increments of
bandwidth in single VC-n units

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 Contiguous and Virtual
Concatenation Comparison
Service Bit Rate Contiguous Virtual
Concatenation Concatenation

Ethernet 10 Mbps VC-3 (20%) VC-11-7v (89%)

Fast Ethernet 100 Mbps VC-4 (67%) VC-3-2v (99%)

Gigabit Ethernet 1000 Mbps VC-4-16c(42%) VC-4-7v (95%)

Fiber Channel 1700 Mbps VC-4-16c(42%) VC-4-12v (90%)

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 Link Capacity Adjustment
Scheme (LCAS)

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 LCAS
Virtual concatenation utilizes predefined
bandwidth allocation, which does not
match the variable bit rate patterns and
the burst nature of most data networks

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 Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme
It is standardized by the ITU-T as G.7042
LCAS is a signaling protocol for sizing virtually
concatenated paths
With LCAS, VCG can be resized at any time
without disturbing network traffic
LCAS can add and remove members of a VCG
to match the variable bit rate patterns and the
burst nature of most data networks

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44
 Link Capacity Adjustment Scheme
LCAS signaling messages are exchanged
to change the number of VCs between the
source and the destination of the path
The number of VC can be increased or
decreased without any frame loss
therefore increasing or decreasing the
capacity of the VCG link

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 LCAS Protocol
Between the source and the sink LCAS is
executed to monitor member status, to
indicate changes on the VCAT bandwidth
use, and acknowledge the changes.
LCAS is a protocol transported in H4 byte,
if HO-VCAT is being used, or in K4, if LO-
VCAT is being used

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 GLOSSARY
PDU
Information that is delivered as a unit among peer
entities of a network and that may contain control
information, address information, or data.
PDUs are relevant in relation to one of the first 4
layers of the OSI model as follows:
The Layer 1 PDU is the bit
The Layer 2 PDU is the frame
The Layer 3 PDU is the packet
The Layer 4 PDU is the segment (e.g. TCP segment)

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 GLOSSARY
tHEC
HEC is Header Error Control/Check
tHEC contains error control code to protect the contents of the
type field
FCS
Frame Check Sequence
pFCS is a CRC to protect the contents of GFP Payload
PoS
Packet Over SDH; a protocol for transporting packetized data in
the form of point-to-point (PPP) over SDH

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 GLOSSARY
ESCON
Enterprise Systems Connections; a data connection
for mainframe to peripheral communication
DVB
Digital Video Broadcasting a suite of standards for
digital television
SAN
Storage Area Networks; an architecture to attach
remote computer storage devices (Disk arrays, tape
libraries) to servers

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 GLOSSARY
STS
Synchronous Transport Signal; SONET data
rate (STS-1, STS-3 etc)

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 THANK YOU

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