SDH Introduction

17. Sep 2003

Definition
Synchronous Digital Hierarchy - SDH

A flexible and efficient method to convey digital

information from one designated location to another
An international standard for high-speed optical and
electrical telecommunications networks
Solution for data-transmission in broadband
telecommunications network

NERA

SDH
Transport

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 2

Standardisation
International Telecommunication Union - ITU
First set of SDH recommendations released in 1988

www.itu.int
ITU Telecommunication Standardisation Sector (ITU-T)
ITU Radiocommunication Sector (ITU-R)

To ensure compatibility between SDH based components and networks

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 3

Technology

Direct mapping (transport) of PDH, ATM and IP signals

Effective and powerful multiplexing, demultiplexing and cross
connecting
Standardised NNI for both optical and electrical interfaces
Dynamic network protection in ring topology (self healing)
In service supervision and management for all Network
Elements (NE)
Centralised network control and timing recourses

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 4

Components and topology

Network elements
DXC
- Digital Cross Connect
ADM
- Add/Drop Multiplexer
TM
- Terminal Multiplexer
RT
- Radio Terminal
RR
- Radio Repeater
OR
- Optical Repeater

DXC

RT

DXC

National network
(Mesh)
DXC

Access network
(Chain)
TM RT

RR

RT

OR

OR

DXC

ADM

RT ADM

RT

-T

Regional
network
(Ring)
RR

ADM

RT

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 5

Typical Capacity
Access network: PDH, STM
- 0, STM
- 1
Regional network: STM
- 1, STM
- 4, STM
- 16
National network: STM
- 16, STM
- 64

The SDH frame

Frame header + Payload = Synchronous Transport
Module (STM)

SOH - Section overhead

Synchronisation, supervision
and maintenance
Payload
Path signals (PDH, IP, ATM)

-T

Synchronous Transport

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 6

SOH PAYLOAD

Module

STM Hierarchical Levels

Aggregate
1

Tributary

TM
STM-1

TM
STM-4

TM
STM-16
- 8000 frames/sec. in Duplex transmission
- Byte interleaved multiplexing
-T

SOH

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 7

Payload

SDH Transport Capacity

Synchronous
Transport
Level
0

Transport
Capacity
55 Mb/s

Availability
Nera Radio
systems
YES 1

Availability
fiber optical
systems
YES

155.520 Mb/s

YES

YES

622.080 Mb/s

NO

YES

16

2.488320 Gb/s

NO

YES

64

9.953280 Gb/s

NO

YES

1. Generation CityLink2
2. Generation NL29x, CityLink and NL2000
3. Generation ?
-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 8

Section layers
MST

RST

RS

RST

RS

MST

RST

RS

RS

RST

RS

MS

MST
RST
MS
RS

RS
MS

- Multiplexer Section Termination (DXC, ADM, TM)

- Regenerator Section Termination (RT, RR, OR)
- Multiplexer Section
- Regenerator Section

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 9

MST

RST

RS

Path layers
MST

RST

RS

RST

RS

MST

RST

RS

RS

RST

RS

MS

RS
MS

Path layer

Path signals
VC-12 (2Mb/s) - Lower order path
VC-3 (34 Mb/s) and VC-4 (140 Mb/s) - Higher order path
Mapped ATM / IP

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 10

10

MST

RST

RS

SDH Multiplexing Structure

STM-N

AUG

155 Mb/s x N

x1

C-4 139.264 Mb/s

VC-4

AU-4

(150Mb/ s)

x3 TUG-3

x3
AU-3

TU-3

x7

Pointer
Processing

TUG-2

Alignin
g
Mapping

-T

44.736 Mb/s
C-3 34.368 Mb/s

x1

x4

Multiplexing

C-nx : Container
VC.nx : Virtual Container
TU-nx :Tributary Unit
AU-n : Administrative Unit
TUG-n : Tributary Unit Group
STM-N : Synchronous Transport Module

VC-3

x7

VC-3
(49 Mb/s)

x1

TU-2

VC-2

C-2 6.312 Mb/s

TU-12

VC-12

C-12 2.048 Mb/s

TU-11

VC-11

C-11 1.544 Mb/s

x3

Note : The use of plesio chronous bit rates for interfacing lower bit rate traffic removes the
possibility of management at the lower bit rate (e.g. 28 X 1.5 Mb/s in 45 Mb/s)

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 11

11

VC-12 Mapping structure.

Container for 2.048 Mb/s
VC - 12 POH
TU - pointer
Byte interleave 3 x TU - 12

POH

TU - 12

Byte interleave 7 x TUG - 2

TUG - 2

Byte interleave 3 x TUG - 3

TUG - 2

TUG - 3

TUG - 2

TUG - 2

TUG - 3

TU - 12

TUG - 2

C-12

C - 12

C-12

VC - 12

C-12

TU - 12

TU - 12

TUG - 2

TUG - 2

TUG - 2
TUG - 3

TUG - 3

VC - 4 POH

POH

3 x TUG - 3 = 21 x TUG - 2

VC - 4

AU - Pointer

POH

3 x TUG - 3 = 21 x TUG - 2

AU - 4

SOH

POH

VC - 4

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 12

12

STM - 1

STM-1 frame structure

270 bytes
9 bytes

261 bytes

3 rows

RSOH

1 row

AU - pointers

STM -1 payload
5 rows

MSOH

STM - 1 bitrate:
8000 frames/sec x 9 rows/frame x 270 bytes/row x 8 bits/byte = 155.520
Mb/s

-T

Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 13

13

SOH - Section Overhead

STM-1 SOH
MS

Media Specific
bytes

2Mb/s 2 Mb/s asynchronous

STM-1
RSOH

A1 A1 A1 A2
A A2
A A
A2 J0

B1

MS 1 MS 2

E1

F1

D1

MS 3 SI

D2

D3

POINTER H1 H1 H1 H2 H2 H2 H3 H3 H3
SI

MS 1 :
MS 2 :
MS 3 :

#1

#2

#3

Stuffing for 2Mb/s Wayside

B2 B2 B2 K1

K2

Radio Protection Switching

control
Radio Protection Switching STM-1
control
MSOH
RF-Id
.
Remote reset
ATPC
E/M for bytes; E1, F1, E2

D4

D5

D6

D7

D8

D9

D10

D11

D12

S1 Z1 Z1 Z2 Z2 M1 E2 N

T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 14

14

RSOH - Byte description

A1
B1
D1

A1
MS
MS

A1/A2
J0
B1
E1
F1
D1/D2/D3
NU
MS
UN

A1
MS
UN

A2
E1
D2

A2
UN
UN

A2
UN
UN

J0
F1
D3

NU
NU
UN

NU
NU
UN

- STM -1 frameword. (A1: 11110110, A2: 00101000)

- Regenerator section trace
- Regenerator section error calculation (BIP-8)
- Regenerator Orderwire
- Regenerator User channel
- Data Communication Regenerators (192Kb/s)
- National Use
- Media Specific bytes
- UNallocated bytes

T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 15

15

MSOH - Byte description

B2
D4
D7
D10
S1

B2
UN
UN
UN
Z1

B2
UN
UN
UN
Z1

K1
D5
D8
D11
Z2

UN
UN
UN
UN
Z2

UN
UN
UN
UN
M1

K2
D6
D9
D12
E2

UN
UN
UN
UN
NU

UN
UN
UN
UN
NU

B2
K1/K2

- Multiplexer section error calculation (BIP-24)

- Multiplexer protection switching

D4-D12
Z1/Z2

- Data Communication Channel multiplexer (576Kb/s)

- Reserved for future use

E2

- Multiplexer Orderwire

S1
M1

- Syncronization status
- Multiplex Section - Remote Error Identifier (MS-REI)

NU

- National Use

UN

- UNallocated bytes

T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 16

16

Synchronisation
Normal situation

Radio transmitting direction : STM - 1 signal derived from

line side
Radio receiving direction : STM - 1 signal derived from
radio side
Failure

Both directions: Internal 2.048 MHz oscillator (AIS insert

indication)
Special

Both directions: External 2.048 MHz synchronisation

(SETS)
T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 17

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Applications - Backbone
extensions

s
one sy
Backb

tem

CityLink
NL2000 / fiber

T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 18

18

Applications - Cellular
Networks
MST

RST

RST

MST

RST

RST

RST

MST

Path layer

MSC

BSC

Circuit layer

BSC
MSC

- Base Station Controller

- Mobile Switching Centre

T-Manual Citylink XT, page 1. 19

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BSC