NETAJI SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

TELECOM TRAINING CENTRE

KALYANI

Vocational Training Programme

INTRODUCTION TO SDH
 Introduction to SDH

SYNCHRONOUS DIGITAL HIERARCHY FUNDAMENTALS

Introduction
It is an international standard networking principle and a multiplexing
method. The name of hierarchy has been taken from the multiplexing method
which is synchronous by nature. The evolution of this system will assist in
improving the economy of operability and reliability of a digital network.

1. Historical Overview
In February 1988, an agreement was reached at CCITT (now ITU-TS)
study group XVIII in Seoul, on set of recommendations, for a synchronous digital
hierarchy representing a single world wide standard for transporting the digital
signal. These recommendations G-707, G-708, G-709 cover the functional
characteristic of the network node interface, i.e. the bit rates and format of the
signal passing over the Network Node Interface (NNI).

For smooth transformation from existing PDH, it has to accommodate the

three different country standards of PDH developed over a time period. The
different standards of PDH are given in Fig.1.

The first attempt to formulate standards for Optical Transmission started

in U.S.A. as SONET (Synchronous Optical Network). The aim of these standards
was to simplify interconnection between network operators by allowing inter-
connection of equipment from different vendors to the extent that compatibility
could be achieved. It was achieved by SDH in 1990, when the CCITT accepted
the recommendations for physical layer network interface. The SONET hierarchy
from 52 Mbit per second rate onwards was accepted for SDH hierarchy (Fig.1).

2. Merits of SDH
(i) Simplified multiplexing/demultiplexing techniques.

(ii) Direct access to lower speed tributaries, without need to

multiplex/demultiplex the entire high speed signal.

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(iii) Enhanced operations, Administration, Maintenance and

provisioning capabilities.

(iv) Easy growth to higher bit rates in step with evolution of

transmission technology.

(v) Capable of transporting existing PDH signals.

(vi) Capable of transporting future broadband (ATM) channel bit rates.

(vii) Capable of operating in a multi-vendor and multi-operator

environment.

3. Advantages
(i) Multi-vendor environment (mid span meet) : Prior to 1988
international agreement on SDH all vendors used proprietary non-
standard techniques for transporting information on fibre. The only
way to interconnect was to convert to the copper transmission
standards (G702/703/704). The cost and complexity levels were
very high.

(ii) Synchronous networking : SDH supports multi-point or hub

configurations whereas, asynchronous networking only supports
point-to-point configurations.

(iii) Enhanced OAM&P : The telecoms need the ability to administer,

surveil, provision, and control the network from a central location.

(iv) Positioning the network for transport on new services : LAN to

LAN, HDTV, interactive multimedia, video conferencing.

(v) HUB : A hub is an intermediate site from which traffic is distributed

to 3 or more spur. It allows the nodes to communicate as an angle
network, thus reducing the back-to-back multiplexing and
demultiplexing.

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4. S.D.H. Evolution
S.D.H. evolution is possible because of the following factors :

(i) Fibre Optic Bandwidth : The bandwidth in Optical Fibre can be

increased and there is no limit for it. This gives a great advantage for
using SDH.

(ii) Technical Sophistication : Although, SDH circuitary is highly

complicated, it is possible to have such circuitary because of VLSI
technique which is also very cost effective.

(iii) Intelligence : The availability of cheaper memory opens new possibilities.

(iv) Customer Service Needs : The requirement of the customer with respect
to different bandwidth requirements could be easily met without much
additional equipment. The different services it supports are :

1. Low/High speed data.

2. Voice
3. Interconnection of LAN
4. Computer links
5. Feature services like H.D.T.V.
6. Broadband ISDN transport (ATM transport)

5. S.D.H. Standards
The S.D.H. standards exploit one common characteristic of all PDH
networks namely 125 micro seconds duration, i.e. sampling rate of audio signals
(time for 1 byte in 64 k bit per second). This is the time for one frame of SDH.
The frame structure of the SDH is represented using matrix of rows in byte units
as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. As the speed increases, the number of bits increases
and the single line is insufficient to show the information on Frame structure.
Therefore, this representation method is adopted. How the bits are transmitted
on the line is indicated on the top of Fig.2. The Frame structure contains 9 rows
and number of columns depending upon synchronous transfer mode level

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 Introduction to SDH

(STM). In STM-1, there are 9 rows and 270 columns. The reason for 9 rows
arranged in every 125 micro seconds is as follows :

For 1.544 Mbit PDH signal (North America and Japan Standard), there
are 25 bytes in 125 micro second and for 2.048 Mbit per second signal, there are
32 bytes in 125 micro second. Taking some additional bytes for supervisory
purposes, 27 bytes can be allotted for holding 1.544 Mbit per second signal, i.e.
9 rows x 3 columns. Similarly, for 2.048 Mbit per second signal, 36 bytes are
allotted in 125 micro seconds, i.e. 9 rows x 4 columns. Therefore, it could be said
9 rows are matched to both hierarchies.

A typical STM-1 frame is shown in Fig. 3. Earlier this was the basic rate
but at present STM-0 which is just 1/3rd of STM-1, i.e. 51.840 Mbit per second
has been accepted by CCITT. In STM-1 as in Fig.3 the first 9 rows and 9
columns accommodate Section Overhead (SOH) and 9 rows x 261 columns
accommodates the main information called pay load. The interface speed of the
STM-1 can be calculated as follows :

(270 columns x 9 rows x 8 bits x 1/125
s) = 155.52 Mbps.

The STM-0 contains just 1/3rd of the STM-1, i.e. 9 rows x 90 columns out
of that 9 rows x 3 columns consist of section overhead and 9 rows x 87 columns
consist of pay load. The STM-0 structure was accepted so that the radio and
satellite can use this bit rate, i.e. 51.840 Mbit/s across their section.

The different SDH level as per G-707 recommendations is as given in

Fig.4.

Principles of SDH
• SDH defines a number of “Containers”, each corresponding to an
existing plesiochronous rate.

• Each container has a “Path Overhead” added to it

– POH provides network management capability.

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• Container plus POH form a “Virtual Container”.

• All equipment is synchronised to a national clock.

• Delays associated with a transmission link may vary slightly with

time–causing location of VC within the STM–1 frame to move.

• Variations accommodated by use of a Pointer

– points to beginning of VC.
– pointer may be incremented or decremented.

• G.709 defines different combinations of VCs which can be

accommodated in the “payload” of an STM–1 frame.

• When STM–1 payload is full, more network management capability

is added to form the “Section Overhead”.

• SOH remains with payload for the fibre section between

synchronous multiplexers.

• SOH bytes provide communication channels to cater for :

– OA&M facilities.
– user channels.
– protection switching.
– section performance
– frame alignment
– other functions.

6. Basic Definitions

(i) Synchronous Transport Module

This is the information structure used to support information pay load and
over head information field organised in a block frame structure which repeats
every 125 micro seconds.

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(ii) Container
The first entry point of the PDH signal is the container in which the signal
is prepared so that it can enter into the next stage, i.e. virtual container. In
container (container-I) the signal speed is increased from 32 bytes to 34 bytes in
the case of 2.048 Mbit/s signal. The additional bytes added are fixed stuff bytes
(R), Justification Control Bytes (CC and C’), Justification Opportunity bytes (s).

In container-3, 34.368 Mbit/s signal (i.e., 534 bytes in 125
seconds) is

increased to 756 bytes in 125
seconds adding fixed stuff bits(R). Justification
control bits (C-1, C-2) and Justification opportunity bits (S-1, S-2).

Detail follows : 756 bytes are in 9 x 84 bytes/125
seconds frame. They

are further subdivided into 3 sub frames 3 x 84 (252 bytes or 2016 bits). Out of
this

1431 information bits (I),

10 bits (two sets) (C-1, C-2)
2 Justification opportunity bits (S-1, S-2)
573 (fixed bits)

In container-4, 139.264 Mbit/s signal (2176 bytes in 125
seconds) is

increased to 9 x 260 bytes. Details as follows :

9 x 260 bytes are partitioned into 20 blocks consisting of 13 bytes each. In

each row one justification opportunity bit(s) and five justification control bit(s) are
provided. The first byte of each block consists of either

eight information bit (I) or eight fixed stuff bits (R) or One justification
control bit (C) plus five fixed stuff bits (R) plus two overhead bits (o). or Six
information bits (I) plus one justification opportunity bit (s) plus one fixed stuff bit
(R). The last 12 bytes of one block consists of information bits (I).

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(iii) Virtual Container

In Virtual container the path over head (POH) fields are organised in a
block frame structure either 125
seconds or 500
seconds. The POH
information consists of only 1 byte in VC-1 for 125
seconds frame. In VC-3,
POH is 1 column of 9 bytes. In VC-4 also POH 1 column of 9 bytes. The types
of virtual container identified are lower orders VCs VC-1 and VC-2 and higher
order VC-3 and VC-4.

(iv) Tributary Unit

A tributary unit is a information structure which provides adaptation
between the lower order path layer and the higher order path layer. It consists of
a information pay load (lower order virtual container) and a tributary unit pointer
which indicates the offset of the pay load frame start relating to the higher order
VC frame start. Tributary unit 1 for VC-1 and Tributary unit 2 is for VC-2 and
Tributary unit 3 is for VC-3, when it is mapped for VC-4 through tributary group-
3. TU-3 pointer consists of 3 bytes out of 9 bytes. Three bytes are H1, H2, H3
and remaining bytes are fixed bytes. TU-1 pointers are one byte interleaved in
the TUG-2.

(v) Tributary Unit Group

One or more tributaries are contained in tributary unit group. A TUG-2
consist of homogenous assembly of identical TU-1s or TU-2. TUG-3 consists of
a homogenous assembly of TUG-2s or TU-3. TUG-2 consists of 3 TU-12s (For
2.048 Mbit/sec). TUG-3 consists of either 7 TUG-2 or one TU-3.

(vi) Network Node Interface (NNI)

The interface at a network node which is used to interconnect with
another network node.

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(vii) Pointer
An indicator whose value defines frame offset of a VC with respect to the
frame reference of transport entity, on which it is supported.

(viii) Administrative Unit

It is the information structure which provides adaptation between the
higher order path layer and the multiplex section layer. It consists of information
pay load and a A.U. pointer which indicates the offset of the pay load frame start
relating to the multiplex section frame start. Two AUs are defined (i) AU-4
consisting VC-4 plus an A.U. pointer indicating phase alignment of VC-4 with
respect to STM-N frame, (ii) AU-3 consisting of VC-3 plus A.U. pointer indicating
phase alignment of VC-3 with respect to STM-N frame. A.U. location is fixed with
respect to STM-N frame.

(ix) Administrative Group

AUG consists of a homogenous assembly of AU-3s or an AU-4.

(x) Concatenation
The procedure with which the multiple virtual container are associated
with one another, with the result their combined capacity could be used as a
single container across which bit sequence integrity is maintained.

7. S.D.H. Layer Structure

The S.D.H. can be based on layered concept as shown in Fig. The Fig
shows the layer interconnection in detail.

8. Multiplexing Principles
The basic multiplexing principles and processing stage by stage, the
information signal is shown in Fig.7. In C-11, 1.544 Mbit per sec is mapped. In C-
12 container, the entry is 2.048 Mbit/sec. In C-2 container the entry, i.e. 6.312
Mbit/sec which is of American standard. These three containers passes through
their respective virtual containers and tributary unit pointers. At TUG-2 it can be
either 4VC-11 with TU-11 or 3VC-12 with TU-12 or 1 VC-2 with TU-2. The C-3

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 Introduction to SDH

container takes the input 34 Mb/s or 44.7 Mb/s of the American Standard. These
through VC-3 container and with tributary unit-3 goes to Tributary Unit Group–3.
3 Nos. VC-3 with AU-3 can directly go to AUG and enter STM-frame. Similarly, 7
TUG-2 can be mapped into one VC-3. Otherwise one VC-3 with TU-3 or 7 TUG-
2 can go to TUG-3 and 3 TUG-3 are mapped into one VC-4. A 139.264 Mbit/sec
signal can be mapped into one VC-4 through C-4. VC-4 with AU-4 goes to AUG
and then to STM-frame. The different possibilities are shown in Fig.

The details of processing and adding pointers from the base level to VC–4
container and then to AUG and then to STM–N is given in Fig.8, where the entry
2M bit/sec is shown. In the Fig.8, it can be noted that pointers gives the phase
alignment between the shaded and unshaded areas, i.e. the pointer locates the
position of the virtual container which are floating in the STM–frames.

Figure shows the processing of 34 M/bit signal through VC–3 container

and going to Administrative group unit and then to STM frame. In Fig, it is shown
that 140 M/bit signal is mapped into VC–4 container and then enter into STM
frame through AUG. Figure , gives the details of processing 2.048 M/bit signal
into VC–3 container and then directly through AUG entering into STM frame.
This method is also posssible.

9. Section Overhead Brief Description

The section overhead portion of the STM-1 frame with their relevant bytes
are indicated in Fig. From the figure, it is seen that 4th row 9 bytes are reserved
for AU pointers and this will be discussed separately. The top 3 rows x 9
columns of STM-1 frame reserved for Regenerator Section Overhead (R SOH).
From the 5th row to 9th row with 9 columns are reserved for Multiplex Section
Overhead (M SOH). A brief idea of the different bytes in regenerator section
overhead and multiplex overhead are given below :

A-1, A-2 are framing bytes. Their values are :

A1 : 11110110
A2 : 00101000

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 Introduction to SDH

(i) These two types of bytes form 16 bit Frame Alignment Word
(FAW). FAW formed by the last A-1 byte and the adjacent A-2
byte, in the transmitter sequence defines the frame reference for
each of signal rates. There are 3 A-1 bytes in STM-1 and 3 A-2
bytes in STM-1. In higher order STM their number increases with
STM order. In STM-4, there will be 12 A-1 bytes and 12 A-2 bytes.

(ii) STM Identifier with C-1 Byte : In STM-1 there is a single C-1 byte
which is used to identify each of inter-leaved STM’s and in an
STM-N signal. It takes binary equivalent to position in inter-leave.

(iii) D-1 or D-12 : These bytes are for data communication channel.
Inthis D-1, D-2 and D-3 are for regenerator section. It can support
192 kilo bit per section. D-4 to D-12 are for multiplex section. They
can support 576 kilo bit per second.

(iv) E-1 is for regenerator section order wire.

E-2 is for multiplex section order wire.

(v) F-1 is used for fault control purposes.

(vi) B-1 byte are called bit inter-leave parity-8. This is used for error
monitoring in the regenerator section. There is only 1 byte in STM-
1 or STM-4 or STM-16. On line monitoring done in this case.

(vii) B-2 bytes. These are used for error monitoring in the multiplex
section. There are 3 bytes for STM-1, STM-4 and 16 will have
more number of B-2 bytes as per their order.

(viii) K-1, K-2 bytes. There are 2 bytes for STM-1, 4 or 16. These are
used for co-ordinating the protection switching across a set of
multiplex section organised as protection group, they are used for
automatic protection switching. Z-1, Z-2 : These bytes are located
for functions and yet defined, as per CCITT recommendations.

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Fig. 1
Network Reference Model and Standardization of Digital Hierarchies

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One frame (125

s)

Fig. 2
SDH Interface Frame Representation Method

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 3
STM-N Frame Structure

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Fig. 4
SDH Standards – Bit Rates (G.707 Recommendation)

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 5
SDH–based Transport Network Layered Model

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 6(a)
SDH Layers

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 6(b)
Layer Interaction

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 7(a)
Generic Multiplexing Structure

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Fig. 7(b)
Reduced Multiplexing Structure

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 Introduction to SDH

Fig. 12
Section and High Order Path Overhead Bytes
The purpose of individual bytes is detailed below.
A1,A2 Frame Alignment.
B1,B2 Parity bytes for errors monitoring.
D1…D3 Data communication channel (DCC) network management.
D4…D12 Data communication channel (DCC) network management.
E1,E2 Orderwire channel.
F1 Maintenance
J0 Trace identifier
K1,K2 Automatic protection switching (APS) channel.
M1 Transmission error acknowledgement.
S1 Clock quality indicator.
* Media dependent bytes.

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 Introduction to SDH

H.O. POH : PATH OVER HEAD (VC3/VC4)

MODE 1 – A 64 BYTE FIXED LENGTH STRING
J1 J – PATH TRACE BYTE
(LIKE FAW) MODE 2 – 15 BYTE STRING & 1 BYTE HEADER (CRC–7)

B3 B – BIT INTERLEAVED PARITY CODE (BIP–8) BYTE FOR PATH ERR. MON.
CALCULATED OVER ALL BITS OF PREVIOUS VC BEFORE SCRAMBLING.

C2 C – PATH SIG. LABEL BYTE TO INDICATE, SPE EQPD (1) OR NOT (0)
ATM – 00010011, MAN – 00010100, FDDI – 00010101, LOCKED TU –
00000011.

G1 G – PATH STATUS BYTE OR REMOTE STN. (BIT 1–4 FEBE, BIT 5 – FERF,
BIT 6–8 NOT USED)

F2 F – E.O.W. BETWEEN PATH

H4 H – MULTIFRAME ALIGNMENT BYTE OR DENOTE STARTING POSITION OF

ATM CELL

Z Z – FUTURE USE
(F3)

Z K3 – APS FOR PROTN. SWG. (b1 …. b4) SPARE (b5 …. b8) TO INCREASE
(K3) N/W CAPABILITY

Z N1 – TANDOM CONN. MON AND PATH DATA BYTE

(N1)

L.O. P.O.H (FOR VC–11, VC–12, VC–2)

V5 BIP-1 BIP–2 REI RFI L1 L2 L3 RDI

BIP – BIT INTERLEAVED PARITY
REI – REMOTE ERROR INDICATION
RFI – REMOTE FAULT INDICATION
L1, L2, L3 – SIGNAL LABEL
RDI – REMOTE DEFECT INDICATION

J2 PATH TRACE

N–2 TANDOM CONNECTION

K- 4 PATH APC

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In Service Alarm Events

In–Service Maintenance Signals:

The wide range of alarm signals and parity checks built into the SDH
signal structure support effective in–service testing. Major alarm
conditions such as Loss of Signal (LOS), Loss of Frame (LOF), and Loss
of Pointer (LOP) cause Alarm Indication Signal (AIS) to be transmitted
downstream. Different AIS signals are generated depending upon which
level of the maintenance hierarchy is affected. In response to the different
AIS signals, and detection of major receiver alarm conditions, other alarm
signals are sent upstream to warn of trouble downstream. Far End
Receive Failure (FERF) is sent upstream in the Multiplexer Section
Overhead after Multiplexer Section AIS, or LOS, or LOF has been
detected by equipment terminating in a Multiplexer Section span; a
Remote Alarm Indication (RAI) for a high order path is sent upstream after
Path AIS or LOP has been detected by equipment terminating a Path, and
similarly, a Remote Alarm Indication (RAI) for a Low Order Path is sent
upstream after Low Order Path AIS or LOP has been detected by
equipment terminating a Low Order Path.

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