OPTICAL TRANSPORT NETWORK

The Optical Transport Network (OTN) defined in ITU G.709, allows network operators to converge networks through seamless
transport of the numerous types of legacy protocols while providing the flexibility required to support future client protocols.

OTN Layers

OTN Advantages

ODU

> Insulates the network against uncertain service mix by providing transparent native
transport of client signals encapsulating all client management information

Video

OCh and OTU

OMS

> Performs multiplexing for optimum capacity utilization thereby improving network
efficiency

Ethernet

OTN
Wrapper

SONET/SDH

OMS

OTS

> Enables network scalability as well as support for dedicated Ethernet services with
service definitions for 1GbE, 10GbE, 40GbE, and 100GbE, with higher rates
beginning specification

ODUk

Optical Channel (OCh)/Optical Transmission Unit (OTU)

OTS

Electrical ROADM
Switch

OTS

OLA

OTS

OLA

ROADM

ROADM

Electrical
Switch

> Provides multi-layer performance monitoring and enhanced maintenance capability

for signals traversing multi-operator networks

Client Ports

> Provides for long reach using either standard or high gain proprietary FEC

service switches

> Combined with Intelligent Control Plane, enables automated mesh connectivity
and 50ms mesh restoration for Ethernet, OTN, SONET and SDH clients

OTN Maintenance Overhead Bytes

Column
Digital

Client
OPU
OH

For Client Service Mapping

PM

10

11

SM

TCM6

13

GCC0

14

PM

APS/PCC

15

16

JC

JC

JC

JC

JC

JC

PSI

NJO

RES

TCM4

TCM1

GCC2

12

TCM5

TCM2

GCC1

MFAS

TCM
ACT

TCM3

3
4

OCh Payload Unit (OPU) Payload

PM &
TCM

RES

Row

Frame Alignment

SONET/SDH, Ethernet,
IP/MPLS, etc

FTFL
EXP

RES

PSI
PT
CSF

The OTM is the information structure that is transported across the OTN node interface.

Equipment vendors typically also offer proprietary enhanced

FEC options to improve the coding gain to >9dB for a further increase in reach. The ability to turn off FEC is available in transport equipment that is
optimized for low-latency applications.

RES

PM &
TCM

Tandem Connection Monitoring (TCM)

Section, Path & Tandem Connection Monitor

For Switching and

Multiplexing

ODU
OH

OCh Data Unit (ODU) Payload

DMp

TCMi

For Transmission

OTU
OH

OCh Transport Unit (OTU) Payload

TTI

BIP-8

PM &
TCM

FEC
1

DM1

DM2

DM3

DM4

DM5

DM6

SAPI

(source)

SM

BEI/BIAE

BDI

TCMi

BEI/BIAE

BDI

STAT

BEI

BDI

STAT

15
DMp-transmit

Adaptation

For Management
OCh
OH

DAPI

Far
End

OTN

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM6

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM5

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM4

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM3

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM2

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

TCM1

PM

31

OMS
OH

Connection requires
coordination between
the near- and far- end
connection monitoring
end points.

Operator
Specific
63

ODUk

OTS
OH

STM-1/OC-3, STM-4/OC-12,
FC-100, 1GbE
STM-16/OC-48, FC-200

ODU0 (L)

2x

ODU1 (L)

OTU1

40 x

FC-400, FC-800, Various

STM-64/OC-192, 10GbE
10GbE

FC-1200, 10GbE

ODU1 (H)

OTU
Type

OTU Rate
(Gb/s)

OPU Payload
Rate (Gb/s)

Client Signals

OTU1

2.6661

2.48832

STM-1/OC-3, STM-4/OC-12, STM-16/OC-48,

FC-100/200, 1GbE, CMGPON

OTU1e

11.049

10.3215

10GbE LAN (BMP w/o fixed stuff)

OTU2

10.709

9.9953

STM-64/OC-192, FC-400/800, 10GbE WAN,

10GbE LAN (GFP), IB SDR/DDR

OTU2e

11.095

10.356

FC-1200, 10GbE LAN (BMP w/fixed stuff)

OTU3

43.018

40.150

STM-256/OC-768, 40GbE, IB QDR

OTU3e1

44.5709

41.6111

4 x ODU2e (AMP)

OTU3e2

44.5833

41.5995

4 x ODU2e (GMP)

OTU4

111.80997

104.35597

100GbE

8x

ODUflex (L)

OTU2

ODU1e

OTU1e

ODU2e (L)

10 x
32 x

10 x

STM-256/OC-768, 40GbE

ODU3 (L)

OTU3

4x

ODU3e1 (H)
OTU3e1

Path CM

ITU G.Sup43
Non-standard Bit Rates

TCM provides nested performance monitoring for hierarchical operations and sectionalization.

Improving Spectral Efficiency with High Capacity WDM and OTN Switching
North American Backbone Case Study
A network study was completed on a North American carriers national backbone
network, where traffic was a mix of 10G wavelengths, OC-192 SONET rings, and
mesh circuits. Over 3,000 wavelengths were deployed across the network.

80 x

IP

IP

IP

CPE
CPE

IP

OTU3e2

CPE

IP

IP

IP

CPE

IP

IP

Ethernet/IP
Services
Backhaul

IP

Router
Interconnection

IP

2,500
2,000

24%

1,500
1,000

Experimental
Frame Alignment
Frame Alignment Signal
Fibre Channel
Forward Error Correction
Fault Type and Fault Location
Gigabit Ethernet
General Communications Channel
Generic Framing Procedure
Generic Mapping Procedure
Gigabit Passive Optical Network

IAE
IB
IP
ITU
JC
LAN
MAC
MFAS
MPLS
NE
NJO

Incoming Alignment Error

InfiniBand
Internet Protocol
International Telecommunications Union
Justification Control
Local Area Network
Media Access Control
Multi-Frame Alignment Signal
Multi-Protocol Label Switching
Network Element
Negative Justification Opportunity

NNI
OC
OCC
OCh
ODU
OH
OLA
OMS
OOS
OPU
OTM

Network-Network Interface
Optical Carrier
Optical Carrier Channel
Optical Channel
Optical Channel Data Unit
Overhead
Optical Line Amplifier
Optical Multiplex Section
OTM Overhead Signal
Optical Channel Payload Unit
Optical Transport Module

Endpoint
Grooming
(10/40/100G)

OTN
Grooming
(10/100G)

OTS
OTN
OTU
PCC
PM
PSI
PT
QDR
RES
ROADM
RS

Optical Transmission Section

Optical Transport Network
Optical Channel Transport Unit
Protection Communication Channel
Path Monitor
Payload Structure Identifier
Payload Type
Quad Data Rate
Reserved for future intl standardization
Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer
Reed-Solomon

OTN
Grooming
(10/40/100G)

*Above results are based on real network data. Other network models will result in different results based on actual inputs.

The addition of OTN switching provides an incremental

24-40% wavelength efficiency gain over a transponder
architecture, and rises in importance as higher line rates
are introduced into the network.

Cienas OTN Products

CoreDirector Family

EXP
FA
FAS
FC
FEC
FTFL
GbE
GCC
GFP
GMP
GPON

Endpoint
Grooming
(10/100G)

Metro Access and Aggregation

Data Center

>

40G
Pure 10G

Metro Core OTN Mesh

Upgrading the 10G DWDM system to 40G or 40/100G,

with higher capacity wavelengths deployed only in sites
where traffic demands warranted the change, resulted in
an overall wavelength reduction of more than 55%.

100G

10G

1GbE, 10GbE Retail

and Wholesale

>

40%

Core OTN Mesh

OTU4

Glossary

55+%

500

IP
CPE

Activation/deactivation control channel

Asynchronous Mapping Procedure
Automatic Protection Switching
Backward Defect Indication
Backward Error Indication
Backward Incoming Alignment Error
Bit Interleaved Parity level 8
Bit-synchronous Mapping Procedure
Connection Monitor
Continuous Mode GPON
Destination Access Point Identifier

3,000

Mobile
Backhaul

IP

ODU4 (H)
ODU4 (L)

3,500

IP

Government,
Research and
Education

NNI CM

QoS of Leased Connection is Monitored by User

IP

ODU3e2 (H)

Included in G.Sup43

IP

IP

4x

Included in revised G.709

Residential
Services
Backhaul

NNI CM
UNI CM

ITU G.709 OTN

Standard Bit Rates

OTN Applications

OTU2e

ODU3 (H)

3x
2x

100GbE

NNI CM

ODU2 (H)
ODU2 (L)

Operator B

Client
Signal

User

Client
Signal

OTU Bit Rate Capacity

Optical Transmission Section (OTS)

Operator C

Operator A

User

Optical Multiplex Section (OMS)

TCMi
Overhead

32

Optical Carrier Channel (OCC)

ITU-T OTN Hierarchy

ACT
AMP
APS
BDI
BEI
BIAE
BIP-8
BMP
CM
CMGPON
DAPI

TCM6

(destination)
DMp-transmit

DMp-receive
Connection Monitoring End Point

Optical Channel (OCh)

OCC
OH

OTM
Overhead
Signal
(OOS)

Analog

ODUk

RES

16

DMp-receive

Near
End

IAE

TCM6

Deployed Wavelengths

OCC
OH

SAPI
SDH
SDR/DDR
SONET
SM
STAT
STM
TCM
TTI
UNI
WAN

Source Access Point Identifier

Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
Single Data Rate/Double Data Rate
Synchronous Optical Network
Section Monitor
Status
Synchronous Transport Module
Tandem Connection Monitor
Trail Trace Identifier
User-Network Interface
Wide Area Network

6500 Series

4200 Series

5400 Series

6500 2-slot
4200 MC

4200

CoreDirector CI

CoreDirector

4200 RS

6500 7-slot

6500 14-slot

6500 32-slot

5410

5430

Ciena may from time to time make changes to the products or specifications contained herein without notice. 7/2011 Ciena Corporation. All rights reserved.

Optical Transport Module (OTM)