
PRELIMINARY
XRT86SH221
336
REV. P1.0.5
SDH-TO-PDH FRAMER/MAPPER WITH INTEGRATED 21-CHANNEL E1 SH LIU
10.0 BACKGROUND AND PROTOCOLS
This section intends to provide a background coverage of the theory of communication protocols involved in
Voyager-Lite development. Only brief descriptions of their formats, control flows, and application-specific
features are presented here.
10.1
SYNCHRONOUS DIGTIAL HIERARCHY (SDH) STANDARD
This section intends to provide a background coverage of the theory of communication protocols involved in
SDH standard. Only brief descriptions of their rates, formats, control flows, and application-specific features
are presented here.
Synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH):
The SDH is a hierarchical set of digital transport structures,
standardized for the transport of suitably adapted payloads over physical transmission networks.
Synchronous transport module (STM):
An STM is the information structure used to support section layer
connections in the SDH. It consists of information payload and Section Overhead (SOH) information fields
organized in a block frame structure which repeats every 125 μs. The information is suitably conditioned for
serial transmission on the selected media at a rate which is synchronized to the network. A basic STM is
defined at 155 520 kbit/s. This is termed STM-1. Higher capacity STMs are formed at rates equivalent to N
times this basic rate. STM capacities for N=4, N=16, N=64 and N=256 are defined; higher values are under
consideration.
The STM-0 comprises a single Administrative Unit of level 3. The STM-N, N = 1, comprises a single
Administrative Unit Group of level N (AUG-N) together with the SOH.
Virtual container-n (VC-n):
A Virtual Container is the information structure used to support path layer
connections in the SDH. It consists of information payload and Path Overhead (POH) information fields
organized in a block frame structure which repeats every 125 or 500 us. Alignment information to identify VC-n
frame start is provided by the server network layer.
Two types of Virtual Containers have been identified.
Lower order Virtual Container-n: VC-n (n=1, 2, 3). This element comprises a single Container-n
(n=1, 2, 3) plus the lower order Virtual Container POH appropriate to that level.
Higher order Virtual Container-n: VC-n (n=3, 4). This element comprises either a single
Container-n (n=3, 4) or an assembly of Tributary Unit Groups (TUG-2s or TUG-3s), together with Virtual
Container POH appropriate to that level.
Administrative unit-n (AU-n):
An Administrative Unit is the information structure which provides adaptation
between the higher order path layer and the multiplex section layer. It consists of an information payload (the
higher order Virtual Container) and an Administrative Unit pointer which indicates the offset of the payload
frame start relative to the multiplex section frame start.
Two Administrative Units are defined. The AU-4 consists of a VC-4 plus an Administrative Unit pointer which
indicates the phase alignment of the VC-4 with respect to the STM-N frame. The AU-3 consists of a VC-3 plus
an Administrative Unit pointer which indicates the phase alignment of the VC-3 with respect to the STM-N
frame. In each case the Administrative Unit pointer location is fixed with respect to the STM-N frame.
One or more Administrative Units occupying fixed, defined positions in an STM payload are termed
an Administrative Unit Group (AUG). An AUG-1 consists of a homogeneous assembly of AU-3s or an AU-4.
Tributary unit-n (TU-n):
A Tributary Unit is an information structure which provides adaptation between the
lower order path layer and the higher order path layer. It consists of an information payload (the lower order
Virtual Container) and a Tributary Unit pointer which indicates the offset of the payload frame start relative to
the higher order Virtual Container frame start.
The TU-n (n=1, 2, 3) consists of a VC-n together with a Tributary Unit pointer. One or more Tributary Units,
occupying fixed, defined positions in a higher order VC-n payload is termed a Tributary Unit Group (TUG).
TUGs are defined in such a way that mixed capacity payloads made up of different size Tributary Units can be