TCOM 513

Optical Communications
Networks
Spring, 2007
Thomas B. Fowler, Sc.D.
Senior Principal Engineer
Mitretek Systems

ControlNumber

Topics for TCOM 513

Week 1: Wave Division Multiplexing
Week 2: Opto-electronic networks
Week 3: Fiber optic system design
Week 4: MPLS and Quality of Service
Week 5: Optical control planes
Week 6: The business of optical networking: economics
and finance
Week 7: Future directions in optical networking

ControlNumber

Virtual Network Service

Application

Application

Virtual Session

Presentation

Presentation

End-to-End Messages

Session

Session

End-to-End Packets

Transport

Logical
portion of
code

Transport

Packets
Network

Network

Network

Network
Physical
portion of code

Frames
DLC

Data Link
Control
Physical

DLC

Physical Physical

DLC

DLC

Physical Physical

Data Link
Control
Physical

Bits
Physical Link, e.g. electrical signals
Originating
site

Subnet
node

Subnet
node

Terminatin
g site

ControlNumber

Opto-electronic systems and networks

LAN protocols
Fiber distributed data interface (FDDI)
Fiber channel
Gigabit/10 Gigabit Ethernet
SONET/SDH
Ethernet over optical networks

ControlNumber

LAN protocols
Layers 1 and 2
Map into OSI reference model

Souce: Cisco

ControlNumber

FDDI
Developed by American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Originally proposed as internal fiber optic I/O channel for
computers
Later became generalized to high-speed LAN running at
100 Mbps
Can run on copper as well as fiber
Dual-ring is usual configuration
Can go up to 200 Mbps with single ring
Token ring architecture
Advantage of token-passing networks: deterministic
Possible to calculate maximum time before station can
transmit
Popular in real-time environments

ControlNumber

Characteristics of FDDI
Token ring architecture
Two countercirculating rings
Only one used for data; other for backup
Ring size
Up to 200 km (on multimode fiber, single ring)
Dual ring size up to 100 km
Maximum of 500 stations
Max distance between stations is 2 km
Packet switched: utilizes variable length frames
Max frame size is 4500 bytes
Frame header contains destination address

ControlNumber

Characteristics of FDDI (continued)

Guaranteed bandwidth availability
Equality of access as in all token-ring systems
Guaranteed bandwidth for synchronous traffic
Token-ring protocol
Similar to IEEE 802.5 token-ring LAN
Differs in that it is dependent on timers
Ring stations
Each may connect to both rings or only primary ring
Ring monitor
Performed cooperatively by all stations rather than by
single active monitor
All look for errors; if found any station can request
reinitialization of ring
Each station does not have to have ring monitor function

ControlNumber

FDDI ring structure, with/without break

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

10

FDDI ring configuration

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

11

FDDI token ring protocol operation

Ring access controlled by special frame called a token
Only one token present at any time
When a station receives the token it has permission to
send
When station finishes sending it must place token back
on ring
Each station on the ring receives and retransmits frames
Ring is not a node

ControlNumber

12

Timing on FDDI
3 timers required due to need to handle synchronous traffic
Token rotation timer (TRT)
Elapsed time since last token received
Target token rotation timer (TTRT)
Target maximum time between tokens time for
token to traverse ring
4 msec < TTRT < 165 msec
Optimal value often around 8 msec
Token holding timer (THT)
Governs max amount of data station may send
Max time allocated for station to send

ControlNumber

13

Operation
When station receives token it compares time since last
token (TRT) with target time (TTRT)
Normal operation: TRT < TTRT
Station can send multiple frames until TTRT reached
TTRT-TRT = THT
Overload: 2xTTRT> TRT > TTRT
Synchronous data only permitted
Error: TRT > TTRT
Must be conveyed to LAN manager
Delays may occur
Stations must be capable of buffering data
Stations must remove data they send when it returns to
them
May be many frames on ring, but only one token

ControlNumber

14

Operation (continued)
When ring initialized, stations cooperate to determine TTRT
value
Minimum of all requested TTRT values
Changed only if new station enters ring

ControlNumber

15

Physical media for FDDI

Multimode fiber
Originally defined mode of operation
Single mode fiber
Included in standard but little used
Twisted pair copper wire
STP = shielded twisted pair
Not as good as fiber, but cheaper
UTP-5 (=cat 5) unshielded twisted pair standard in 1994

ControlNumber

16

Media specifications
Medium

Fiber

Light
source

Detector

Transmit power

Receiver
sensitivity

Multimode

62.5/125
50/125
85/125
100/140

LED

PIN diode

(1) -20 to -14 dBm

(2) -4 to 0 dBm

(1) -31 to -14 dBm

(2) -37 to -15 dBm

Single
mode

9 micron

LED

PIN diode

(1)-20 to -14 dBm

(2)-4 to 0 dBm

(1)-31 to -14 dBm

(2)-37 to -15 dBm

ControlNumber

17

Data encoding and clocking

Four data bits encoded as five bit group
100 Mbps actually 125 Mbaud on ring
Allows adding of more transitions into bit stream to allow
for problem of too many 1s or 0s
Uses Non Return to Zero Inverted (NRZI) encoding
Each station has own clock
Specification is accuracy of 0.005%
Max difference between stations 0.01%
10 bit buffer inside each station to allow for differences in
clocks between stations
Gives average of 4.5 bit times to smooth out timing
differences
Determines max frame size
4.5 bits/0.01% = 45,000 bits = 9,000 symbols = 4,500 bytes

ControlNumber

18

Physical layer operation

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

19

Comparison with standard token ring

networks
Standard TRN uses Manchester encoding
Allows exact recovery of clock, but at cost of doubling
frequency
FDDI uses optical signals at higher speed than TRN
Does not have exact clock recovery, substitutes buffer

ControlNumber

20

FDDI layers

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

21

FDDI layers (continued)

Physical Medium Dependent layer (PMD)
Optical link parameters
Cables and connectors
Optical bypass switch
Power levels
Physical Layer Protocol (PHY)
Access to ring
Clocking, synchronization, buffering
Code conversion
Ring continuity

ControlNumber

22

FDDI layers (continued)

Media Access Control (MAC)
Tokens and timers
Frame check sequence
Station Management (SMT)
Ring Management (RMT)
Ensures valid token circulating
Connection Management (CMT)
Physical connections and topology
Operational Management
Monitors timers and parameters
Interfaces to external network management software

ControlNumber

23

SONET overview
SONET = Synchronous Optical Network
Should have been called Synchonous Opto-electronic
network (SOENET)
Technology developed in 1980s for long-haul trunks needed
by Telcos
Formulated by Exchange Carriers Standards
Association (ECSA)
Industry group which sets standards for telecoms
1984 work began
Expected to serve as basis for Telcos for 20-30 years
Designed from ground up based on 64kbps channels
(DS0voice channels)
Everything a multiple of this

ControlNumber

24

SONET (continued)
Emphasis on qualities important to Telcos
Reliability
Availability
Millisecond recovery from outages
Optimal use of bandwidth of secondary concern
Not originally intended as bulk data carrier or carrier for
asychronous packets
Serves as transport only
Does not do switching
Utilizes optical components only because copper not fast
enough
Otherwise copper or fiber could transmit SONET

ControlNumber

25

Advantages of SONET

Reduction in equipment
Standardization of equipment to allow for plug and play
Increased network reliability
Provision of overhead and payload bytes
Synchronous multiplexing format
Allows carrying of different loads
Simplifies interfacing to switching equipment

ControlNumber

26

Basic structure of SONET

Utilizes time division multiplexing to combine large number
of individual signals
Structured in fixed-length frames
Entire network operates synchronously
Synchronous operation requires extremely precise clocking
throughout network
Utilizes Stratum atomic clock
Known as Primary Reference Clock (PRC)
Accurate to 1 part in 1011

ControlNumber

27

Basic structure of optical part of

SONET
Input
SONET
signal
(time
multiplexed
individual
signals)

Optical fiber

Optical fiber
Amplifier

Modulator
Light
source

Input signal

Electricity

Connector

Optional optical
amplifier

Light
Wavelength = 800-1600 nm

Decoder

Detector

Output signal

Electricity

ControlNumber

28

Evolving SONET network

architecture
1
end user
services

SONET

end user
services

SONET

D
W
D
M

D
W
D
M

SONET

end user
services

SONET

end user
services

Source

Encoder
(Time
Division
Multiplexer)

Modulator/
transmitter

Receiver/
demodulator

(Wavelength
multiplexer)

(Demux)

Link

Decoder
(Demux)

Receiver

ControlNumber

29

SONET structure
First step in SONET multiplexing process: generation of
lowest level or base signal
Referred to as Synchronous Transport Signal level-1, or
STS-1
51.84 Mbits/second
Higher level signals are multiples of this, giving rise to
STS-N
N is not arbitrary, but restricted to certain values
STS-N signals composed of N byte-interleaved STS-1
signals
Optical counterpart known as Optical Carrier level-1
or OC-1

ControlNumber

30

SONET hierarchy

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

31

SONET frame format

810 bytes
Logically a 90 column by 9 rows
Order of transmission: row by row, L to R within rows,
most significant byte first

9 rows

Source: Tektronix

90 columns

ControlNumber

32

SONET frame format (continued)

One frame per 125 sec = 8,000 frames/sec
8,000 frames/sec x 810 bytes/frame x 8 bits/byte = 51,840,000
bits/sec
Column = 9 bytes x 8000 per second x 8 bits/byte = 576K bits

SONET frame
Transport
Overhead

Synchronous Payload
Envelope (SPE)783 bytes

Payload
STS Path
756 bytes
Overhead
(POH)9 bytes (84 cols.)

Fixed
stuff
18 bytes

ControlNumber

33

SONET frame structure: SPE

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

34

SONET frame structure (continued)

SPE does not have to be aligned with STS frame
Can begin anywhere in STS frame
Starting location designated by STS payload pointer in
transport overhead

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

35

Overhead structure
Two types
Transport (27 bytes)
Section (9 bytes)
Line (18 bytes)
Path (9 bytes, embedded in SPE)

ControlNumber

36

Overhead structure (continued)

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

37

Detailed structure of overhead

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

38

Function of overhead
Section (9 bytes)
Performance monitoring (STS-N signal)
Local orderwire
Datacomm channels to carry info for OAM&P
Framing
Line overhead (18 bytes)
Locating SPE in frame
Multiplexing or concatenating signals
Performance monitoring
Automatic protection switching
Line maintenance

ControlNumber

39

Function of overhead (continued)

Path overhead (9 bytes)
Performance monitoring (STS SPE)
Signal label (contents of STS SPE)
Path status
Path trace

ControlNumber

40

SONET alarms
Three levels to allow close monitoring of deteriorating
conditions
Anomaly: discrepancy between observed and expected
Does not constitute interruption in service
Defect: density of anomalies reached level where
service is interrupted
May be correctable
Failure: Inability of function to perform required action
(defect) persisted beyond allowable time span

ControlNumber

41

SONET alarms

ControlNumber

42

SONET Alarms (continued)

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

43

Tributaries and Virtual Tributaries

(VTs)
Need exists to transmit channels slower than full STS
Called tributaries or virtual tributaries
Only certain channel speeds allowed
Tributaries may occupy a number of consecutive columns
within payload or be interleaved (time multiplexed) (usual)
US T-1 (1.544 Mbps) uses 3 columns
Only requires 24 slots, given 27 = 3 slots wasted
Recall that each slot is 64 kbits, x 24 = 1.544 Mbps
European E-1 (2.048 Mbps) uses 4 columns
Only requires 32, given 36 = 4 slots wasted
Benefit is that single tributary can be demultiplexed
without need to demultiplex entire stream

ControlNumber

44

VT sizes

Used for T1
Used for E1

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

45

Tributaries (continued)
An SPE carrying VTs is divided into 7 VT groups
Each group consists of 12 columns
12 x 7 = 84 columns = payload capacity
Columns for each VT type are all factors of 12
Each VT group can carry only one VT type
Cannot mix VT1.5 and VT3, even though they would fit
Separate VT groups within frame can carry different VT
types
Allowed combinations within a VT group
4 VT1.5
3 VT2
2 VT3
1 VT6
Within group, VTs are interleaved (time multiplexed)

ControlNumber

46

Multiplexing of VTs within group

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

47

Multiplexing of VT groups

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

48

Pointers
Used to compensate for frequency and phase variation
Allow transport of synchronous payloads across
plesiosynchronous (almost synchronous) network
boundaries
Avoid delays and losses of having to use 125 sec slip
buffers
Dynamically and flexibly aligning payloads
Dropping
Inserting
Cross-connecting
Effects of jitter can also minimized

ControlNumber

49

Pointers (continued)
Byte stuffing used to fix alignment dynamically
Positive: byte added
Negative: byte deleted
Does not affect data

ControlNumber

50

Pointers (continued)

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

51

Layers of multiplexing in SONET

Time division
(1) Data prior to sending to SONET
E.g., several slow-speed channels multiplexed to
make T1
(2) Within VT group
E.g., several T1s
(3) Among VT groups in STS frame
(4) Among STS frames for speeds greater than OC-1
May be done multiple times, e.g., 4 OC-3 to OC-12, 4
OC-12 to OC-48, 4 OC-48 to OC-192
If WDM used, (5) wavelength multiplexing of SONET signals

ControlNumber

52

SONET multiplexing (continued)

1 Tbps

x100

56K
128K
384K

WDM
Level 5

TDM
Level 4

TDM
Level 3

TDM
Level 2

TDM
Level 1

ControlNumber

53

SONET network elements

Terminal multiplexers
Level 3 or 4

Regenerator (repeater)
Digital loop carrier (DLC)
Concentrator at level 1
Add/drop multiplexer (ADM)
Picks off multiplexed signals
Adds new signals

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

54

SONET network elements (continued)

Digital cross-connects (DCS or DCX)
Accesses signals at STS-1 level and switches them
SONET equivalent of DS3 cross connect
Allows overhead to be maintained because network is
synchronous
Can make 2-way connections at DS3, STS-1, STS-Nc
levels
STS-Nc requires contiguous, not interleaved bytes

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

55

SONET network configurations

Point-to-point
Point-to-multipoint
Hub
Ring

ControlNumber

56

Point-to-point
Two terminal multiplexers connected by optical link
May or may not use repeaters
Simplest SONET application

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

57

Point-to-multipoint
Linear add/drop architecture
Circuits added, dropped along the path
SONET ADM designed for this task
Avoids need to completely demux signal, cross-connect
channels, remux
Typically placed along path to allow adding, dropping
channels where needed

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

58

Hub
Concentrates traffic at one or more sites
Allows for easy reprovisioning
Two implementations
Cross-connecting tributary services
Requires 2 or more ADMs, cross-connect switch
Cross-connecting at tributary and SONET level
Requires cross-connect switch

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

59

Ring architecture
Most popular architecture
Used by all major carriers
Basic building block is ADM
Bi-directional or uni-directional traffic
Main advantage: survivability
If fiber cut, multiplexers can
reroute in milliseconds

Source: Tektronix

After cut

ControlNumber

60

Ring architecture (continued)

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

61

Limitations of SONET ring

architecture
SONET ring architecture very complex
Main problem is scalability
To increase capacity or add new locations requires
building a new set of rings, which is very expensive
Mitigated to some extent by DWDM
But hardware is standardized and available from multiple
sources
SONET does its job well
Is established and low-risk technology

ControlNumber

62

SONET and SDH

SDH=Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
Used widely outside of US, Japan
Same 125sec frames
Developed to accommodate different world standards
T1-based
E1-based
Original SONET standard changed from bit interleaving
to byte interleaving
SONET is subset of SDH

ControlNumber

63

SONET/SDH hierarchies

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

64

Non-synchronous hierarchies

Source: Tektronix

ControlNumber

65

Address for following slides:

http://www.cisco.com/networkers/nw00/pres/pdf2000.htm
Presentation # 3003

ControlNumber

66

ControlNumber

67

ControlNumber

68

ControlNumber

69

ControlNumber

70

ControlNumber

71

ControlNumber

72

ControlNumber

73

ControlNumber

74

ControlNumber

75

ControlNumber

76

Ethernet
Primarily of interest because of newer, high-speed versions
Gigabit Ethernet (GBE)
10 Gigabit Ethernet
Fast Ethernet (100 Mbps) can run on fiber, but normally
implemented with Cat-5 UTP

ControlNumber

77

Brief review of Ethernet operation

All stations connected to bus, which is in effect a node
Ethernet uses Carrier Sense Multiple Access with
Collision Detection (CSMA/CD) to control bus traffic
Stations transmit independently and asychronously
If a frame is received, all stations check to see if it is
addressed to them
If two stations transmit simultaneously or closely in
time, a collision occurs
No guarantee that data will get through without error
Requires higher level protocol to monitor and indicated
need for retransmission

ControlNumber

78

Clarification (continued)
Most modern Ethernet network interface cards (NICs) can
operate either half duplex (with bus or hub) or full duplex
(with switch)
Switches are sold by all major vendors
Improve throughput on slower speed LANs
Not much more expensive than hubs
Allow more devices to be connected to LAN

ControlNumber

79

Source: Luxpath/IEC

ControlNumber

80

Operation of Ethernet (continued)

Operation of CSMA/CD
If a station wishes to send, it must listen to see if another
station is transmitting
If so, must wait until bus is free
If not, it can begin to transmit
Because of signal propagation delays down the bus, a station
may be unaware that another has begun to transmit
If this occurs, called collision, garbage is result
Transmitting station must listen to bus to monitor for
collisions
If collision detected, transmitting station sends jamming
signal to improve chance that other station detects
collision, then stops transmitting
If collision occurs, all transmitting stations must cease
transmission and wait for (different) random periods before
retransmitting

ControlNumber

81

Ethernet and OSI reference model

OSI Reference Model
Application

TCP/IP Implementation
Using Ethernet

Session

Applications:
Telnet
FTP
SMTP
HTTP

Transport

TCP

Presentation

Application
Protocols

TCP/IP
Network

IP

Data Link

LLC Sublayer
MAC Sublayer
Physical signaling
Media attachment

Physical
Source: IBM

Ethernet
(802.3)

ControlNumber

82

Bus and hub architectures

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

83

Half-duplex and full-duplex

Meaning of half duplex (HDX) and full duplex (FDX)
Terms going back to teletype days
Half-duplex = same physical line (or bus) used for both
transmit and receive
Requires special protocol to prevent simultaneous
transmission and reception
Full-duplex = different physical line used for both
transmit and receive
Does not require special protocol, but does require
dedicated (at least temporarily) connection

ControlNumber

84

Half-duplex and full-duplex

(continued)
Original Ethernet: half-duplex because all transmitting and
receiving on same bus

ControlNumber

85

Implementation of Ethernet
Physical bus rarely used anymore
Too difficult to manage and repair
Unwieldy to add or change workstations
Requires coax cable in most cases
Implementations done with hub and Cat-5 UTP
Logically looks like bus
Manchester encoding always used
Signal always has transition with every bit
Logic 0: 0 to 1 transition at bit center
Logic 1: 1 to 0 transition at bit center
Effectively doubles frequency

ControlNumber

86

Implementation of Ethernet
(continued)
Example of Manchester encoding
1

Manchester encoding important for collision detection

Because a 0 level and a 1 level occur for each bit, code is
balanced
Average DC level is of logic 1 level
If collision occurs, signals are ORed, which raises
average DC level
Detected and interpreted as collision by transceivers

ControlNumber

87

Implementation on fiber
Collision detection
Light pulses converted to electricity in transceivers
Average DC value will also change when light pulses
collide on fiber
Uses LEDs at 850 nm

ControlNumber

88

CSMA/CD performance and

propagation delay
Propagation delay is main factor limiting performance of
Ethernet
Delay means station may begin transmitting when bus
not free
Also means stations will learn that bus is free at
different times
Collisions reduce utilization of Ethernet LAN because they
force two or more retransmissions
Maximum utilization (maximum throughput) given by
1/(1+6.44)
where
= end-to-end delay/transmission time

ControlNumber

89

Ethernet throughput vs. offered load

Source: Dutton

ControlNumber

90

CSMA/CD performance and

propagation delay (continued)
On copper wire, transmission speed about 5.2 sec/km
For 10 mbps Ethernet, with 1000 bit frame size, utilization
estimated as
= 2 x 5.2 sec/100 sec = 0.104
Max utilization = 1/(1+6.44x0.104) = 0.60 = 60%
For 100 mbps Ethernet, same frame size,
= 2 x 5.2 sec/10 sec = 1.04
Max utilization = 1/(1+6.44x1.04) = 0.13 = 13%
For 1 Gbps Ethernet, same frame size,
r = 2 x 5.2 sec/1 sec = 10.4
Max utilization = 1/(1+6.44x10.4) = .0147 = 1.5%

ControlNumber

91

Ways to fix deteriorating high speed

performance
Changing frame size not practical
Only other variable is propagation delay
Needs to be made shorter
Must shorten maximum length of cabling
Light in fiber takes about 3.3-5 sec to travel 1 km, not that
different than electricity pulses in copper wire
Standard Ethernet: 1.6 km max LAN segment length
(collision domain)
High speed Ethernet: 200 m max LAN segment length

ControlNumber

92

Ways to fix speed problem (continued)

Gigabit Ethernet: would be ~ 20 m, but 200 was kept as spec
Other changes need to be made
Switches used instead of hubs
Minimum frame size 512 bytes, max same as before,
1524 bytes
Switch is layer 2 device
Reads addresses of frames and sends frame only to
destination
Reduces chances of collision significantly
Increases utilization seen by stations
Use of switches and routers also allows conventional
Ethernet networks to span large areas

ControlNumber

93

Ways to fix speed problem (continued)

10 Gigabit Ethernet uses only full duplex to avoid timing
problems associated with CSMA/CD protocol
Lower speed versions can use it as well
Requires switch which physically connects two devices
which are communicating
No collisions because both connected devices can
transmit and receive at same time

Switch
Terminal 4

Terminal 1

R
Terminal 2

Terminal 3

ControlNumber

94

Gigabit Ethernet standard

Shielded twisted pair up to 500 m
UTP cat-5 available
Requires 5-level encoding
100 m max length
Cat-7 standard under development
Shielded twisted pairs
Single mode fiber at 1310 nm, up to 2 km
Multimode fiber at 780 nm (CD-ROM lasers) or VCSELs at
850 nm
On 62.5/100 MM fiber up to 200m
May be extended to 1 or 2 km

ControlNumber

95

Cabling standards

Source: 10 Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

ControlNumber

96

10 Gbit Ethernet
Fiber only
Full duplex only, in combination with switches, will not
need CSMA/CD protocol required for half-duplex slower
Ethernet
Standard called IEEE 802.3ae; see
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/3/ae/ for info on the spec

Source: 10 Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

ControlNumber

97

10 Gbit Ethernet
For further info,
www.10gea.org

Source: 10 Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

ControlNumber

98

Growth rate anticipated for Ethernet

Source: Luxpath/IEC

ControlNumber

99

Ethernet over SONET

Ethernet over SONET inefficiencies

Source: Cisco

ControlNumber

100

Future of Ethernet in WAN

Objective is to replace SONET at 10 Gbit (OC-192) level
Idea is to use Ethernet switch/routers to deal with failures
Take advantage of extremely low error and failure rates
with modern optical fiber
Simplified architecture
Fewer network elements
No need for rings
Not established technology yet, high risk compared to
SONET

ControlNumber

101

Future of Ethernet (continued)

10 Gig Ethernet may replace ATM
Ethernet already dominates the LAN, where ATM never
made much headway
ATM dominates MAN and WAN
Ethernet could displace ATM because it would eliminate
need to switch protocols
Has not happened yet
In 2004, an 18,500 km 10 Gbit Ethernet link from CERN to
Japan was put into service
Special hardware needed for servers, but switches
could handle the speed
100 Gig Ethernet in very early stages
Deployment not expected until 2010

ControlNumber

102

Other trends in Ethernet

All-optical Ethernet switches
Eliminate need for conversion back to electronic form
Useful in 10 Gbit WAN applications

Source: Luxpath/IEC

ControlNumber

103

Fiber Channel
Developed by ANSI to address problems of existing
computer channel interfaces
Main thrust: connecting disk drives or arrays of disk drives
with computer systems
Allows systems managers to combine data warehouses
spread over a campus orwith repeatersa
metropolitan area
Primarily within computer, but can also be used as LAN
Allows interconnection of computers and peripheral
devices
Point-to-point
Crosspoint switch
Arbitrated loop

ControlNumber

104

Fiber Channel (continued)

Architecture is neither a channel nor a real network
topology
An active intelligent interconnection scheme, called a
Fabric, to connect devices
High performance serial link supporting its own, as well as
higher level protocols such as the FDDI, SCSI, HIPPI and IPI
Speeds up to 4 Gbit/s (higher speeds planned for future)
8 Gbit standard ratified
10 Gbit used now but only to interconnect switches
Can be converted for Local Area Network technology by
adding a switch
Primary application is in storage area networks
Can also run on copper twisted-pair

ControlNumber

105

Fiber channel topologies

Point-to-Point

Arbitrated loop

Source: Dutton

Crosspoint switch

ControlNumber

106

Characteristics of FDDI topologies

Source: Wikipedia

ControlNumber

107

Fiber Channel Speeds

133 Mbit/sec
266 Mbit/sec
530 Mbit/sec
1 Gbit/sec
2 Gbit/sec
4 Gbit/sec
Highest performance: 10 km at 1 Gbit/sec

ControlNumber

108

Terminology

N_Port: connection for device to fiber channel

F_Port: special connection to crosspoint switch fabric
NL_Port: N_port in arbitrated loop
FL_Port: F_Port connected to arbitrated loop

ControlNumber

109

Media for Fiber Channel

Uses single mode or multimode fiber
Single mode
Lasers at 1300 nm, 1550 nm
Data rates up to 1 Gbps
Distance up to 10 km at 1300, >50 km at 1550
Multimode
Laser at 780 nm, 850 nm
Distance up to 2 km
LED at 1300 nm
Distance up to 1.5 km

ControlNumber

110

Classes of service
Class 1: Dedicated (connection oriented)
2 N_Ports
Maximum bandwidth guaranteed
Class 2: Multiplex
Connectionless
Acknowledgement of successful delivery
Class 3: Datagram
Connectionless
Best effort
No acknowledgement