E2-E3/E&WS/SDH Overview, CPE, Protection scheme Rev date:01-04-2011

E2-E3: ENTERPRISE & WHOLESALE

CHAPTER 2
SDH OVERVIEW, CPE & PROTECTION
SCHEMES
Date Of Creation: 01-04-2011

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SDH Overview CPE & Protection Schemes

1.0 Introduction:
SDH (Synchronous Digital Hierarchy) It is a standard for telecommunications transport
formulated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU). SDH was first
introduced into the telecommunications network in 1992 and has been deployed at rapid
rates since then. It’s deployed at all levels of the network infrastructure, including the
access network and the long-distance trunk network. It’s based on overlaying a
synchronous multiplexed signal onto a light stream transmitted over fiber-optic cable.
SDH is also defined for use on radio relay links, satellite links, and at electrical interfaces
between equipment.
The increased configuration flexibility and bandwidth availability of SDH provides
significant advantages over the older telecommunications system. These advantages
include:

 A reduction in the amount of equipment and an increase in network reliability.

 The provision of overhead and payload bytes – the overhead bytes permitting
management of the payload bytes on an individual basis and facilitating
centralized fault sectionalisation.
 The definition of a synchronous multiplexing format for carrying lower-level
digital signals (such as 2 Mbit/s, 34 Mbit/s, 140 Mbit/s) which greatly simplifies
the interface to digital switches, digital cross-connects, and add drop multiplexers.
 The availability of a set of generic standards, which enable multi-vendor
interoperability.
 The definition of a flexible architecture capable of accommodating future
applications, with a variety of transmission rates.

In brief, SDH defines synchronous transport modules (STMs) for the fiber-optic based
transmission hierarchy.

2.0 Learning Objective

 Understand PDH & SDH Hierarchy
 SDH protection Schemes
 CPE

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3.0 Background:
Before SDH, the first generations of fiber-optic systems in the public telephone network
used proprietary architectures, equipment line codes, multiplexing formats, and
maintenance procedures. The users of this equipment wanted standards so they could mix
and match equipment from different suppliers. The resulting international standard is
known as Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH).

4.0 SDH Advantages:

The primary reason for the creation of SDH was to provide a long-term solution for an
optical mid-span meet between operators; that is, to allow equipment from different
vendors to communicate with each other. This ability is referred to as multi-vendor inter
working and allows one SDH-compatible network element to communicate with another,
and to replace several network elements, which may have previously existed solely for
interface purposes.

The second major advantage of SDH is the fact that it’s synchronous. In plesiochronous
systems the timing may vary from equipment to equipment because they are
synchronized from different network clocks. In order to multiplex this type of signal, a
process known as bit stuffing is used. Bit stuffing adds extra bits to bring all input signals
up to some common bit-rate, thereby requiring multi-stage multiplexing and
demultiplexing. Because SDH is synchronous, it allows single- stage multiplexing and
demultiplexing. This single stage multiplexing eliminates hardware complexity, thus
decreasing the cost of equipment while improving signal quality. In plesiochronous
networks, an entire signal had to be demultiplexed in order to access a particular channel;
then the non-accessed channels had to be re-multiplexed back together in order to be sent
further along the network to their proper destination. In SDH format, only those channels
that are required at a particular point are demultiplexed, thereby eliminating the need for
back to-back multiplexing. In other words, SDH makes individual channels “visible” and
they can easily be added and dropped.

5.0 Basic SDH Signal:

The basic format of an SDH signal allows it to carry many different services in its Virtual
Container (VC) because it is bandwidth-flexible. This capability allows for such things as
the transmission of high-speed packet-switched services like ATM. However, SDH still
permits transport and networking at the 2 Mbit/s, 34 Mbit/s, and 140 Mbit/s levels,

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accommodating the existing digital hierarchy signals. In addition, SDH supports the
transport of signals based on the 1.5 Mbit/s hierarchy.

6.0 SDH Frame Structure:

SDH transmission is in the unit of byte and its frame structure is rectangular and is based
on the byte structure, including 270  N columns and 9-row bytes, each of which has 8
bits. The rectangular frames of SDH are transmitted row by row on optical fibers after
parallel/serial conversion at the optical transmitting end and are recovered into
rectangular frame for processing after serial/parallel conversion at the optical receiving
end. The bytes in an SDH frame are transmitted row by row from left to right, beginning
with the first byte at the left top of the figure. This transmission row by row continues
until 9  270  N bytes are all transmitted. Then it is time for the next frame to be
transmitted. Thus, one frame after another is transmitted. Frame length of SDH being
125µs, the frame frequency of SDH is 8,000 frames/ second. That is, a specific byte in a
signal frame is transmitted 8,000 times per second and the bit rate of this byte is 8,000 
8bit=64kbit/s, namely, the transmission rate of 1-channel digital telephone. Take for
example the STM-1 level, whose rate is 270 (270 columns/frame)  9 (altogether 9 rows)
 64kbit/s (64kbits for each byte) =155520kbit/s =155.520Mbit/s.

The frame structure of STM-N is made up of three parts: section overhead, including
Regenerator Section Overhead (RSOH) and Multiplex Section Overhead (MSOH),
Information Payload (Payload) and Administrative Unit Pointer (AU-PTR).

1. Section Overhead (SOH) area

SOH means the additional bytes in the STM-N frame structure needed for normal and
flexible transmission of information payload and these bytes are mainly used for the
running management and maintenance of the network. In the 1~ 9  N columns of the
SDH frame, 1~3 rows and 5~9 rows are allocated to the SOH. SOH can be further
categorized as RSOH and MSOH. 1~3 rows are allocated to RSOH and 5~9 rows to
MSOH. RSOH can be accessed either at the regenerator or at the terminal equipment.
However, MSOH passes a regenerator transparently and is terminated at the multiplexer
equipment.

2. Payload (Payload) area

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Information payload area is the place where information about various services is stored
in the SDH frame structure. Horizontal columns 10  N~270  N, and vertical rows 1~9
belong to the information payload area. In it, there are still some Path Overhead (POH)

bytes transmitted as part of the payload in a network and these bytes are mainly used for
the monitor, management and control of the path performance.

3. Administrative Unit Pointer (AU-PTR) area

AU PTR is a kind of indicator, mainly used to indicate the accurate position of the first
byte of information payload in the STM-N frame, so that the information can be correctly
decomposed at the receiving end. It is located at the fourth row of 1~9  N columns in the
STM-N frame structure. The adoption of the pointer mode is an innovation of SDH,
which can perform multiplex synchronization..

7.0 Logical composition of SDH equipment

SDH transmission network is made up of different types of NEs connected via optical
fiber cable and performs the transmission function of an SDH network via different NEs.
These functions are add/drop services, cross-connection services, network self-healing,
etc. Few of these NEs in an SDH network are Terminal Multiplexer (TM), Add-drop
Multiplexer (ADM), Regenerator (REG) and Digital Cross-connection System (DXC).

7.1 Terminal Multiplexer (TM)

A TM is used at a network terminal node, as shown in Fig. 2

STM-N
TM
140Mbit/s
34Mbit/s

STM-M
2Mbit/s

Fig. 2 Schematic diagram of model of a TM

The function of a TM is to multiplex the low-speed signals of a tributary port to high-

speed signal STM-N of a line port or to de-multiplex low-speed tributary signals from
STM-N signals. 1-channel STM-N signals are input/output to its line port while multi-
channel low-speed tributary signals can be output/input at a tributary port. When low-

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speed tributary signals are multiplexed into the STM-N frame of line signals, the
locations of tributary signals in the line signals STM-N can be specified arbitrarily.

7.2 Add-Drop Multiplexer (ADM)

ADM is used at the the middle node of a link or a node in a ring, and is the most
important NE used most frequently in an SDH network, as shown in Fig. 3

STM-N STM-N
ADM
140Mbit/s
34Mbit/s

STM-M
2Mbit/s

Fig. 3. Schematic diagram of model of an ADM

ADM has two line ports and one tributary port. The two line ports are connected with
optical cables on their respective sides (two trans-receiving optical fibers on each side).
For the sake of description, we specify them as the West (W) line port and East (E) line
port. The function of ADM is to multiplex low-speed tributary signals to lines (line
singles) in cross-connection mode or de-multiplex low-speed tributary signals from the
line signals received from line ports. In addition, cross-connection of the STM-N signals
on Eastward/ westward line sides can be implemented. ADM is the most important NE in
an SDH network and can be equivalent to other NEs, i.e., it can perform the functions of
other NEs. For example, ADM may be equivalent to two TMs.

7.3 Regenerator
There are two kinds of regenerators in an optical transmission network. One is the pure
optical regenerator, mainly used to amplify optical power so as to extend the optical
transmission distance. The other is an electric regenerator used for pulse regeneration
shaping and it can achieve the goal of accumulating no line noise and ensuring complete
waveforms of transmission signals by means of Optical/electric (O/E) conversion,
sampling of electric signals, regeneration, reshaping, Electric/optical and other
processing. Described here is the latter one, which has only two line ports, as shown in
Fig. 4

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STM-N STM-N
REG

Fig 4. Schematic diagram of model of a regenerator

An REG in real sense only needs to process RSOH in the STM-N frame and needs no
cross-connection function. However, ADM and TM need to process both RSOH and
MSOH because they are to insert low-speed tributary signals into STM-N. In addition,
both ADM and TM have the cross-connection function.

7.4 Digital Cross-connection System (DXC)

The DXC is mainly responsible for the cross-connection of STM-N signals and is
actually equivalent to a cross-connect matrix, which implements the cross-connection of
various signals, as shown in Fig. 5.

M DXC N
channel channel

Fig. 5. Schematic diagram of model of DXC

DXC can implement cross-connection of the input M-channel STM-N signals to the
output N-channel STM-N signals. The core of DXC is a cross-connect matrix and the
powerful DXC can implement the low priority cross-connection of high-speed signals in
a cross-connect matrix.

Physical topology of an SDH transmission network

Network physical topology generally refers to the shape of a network, and reflects
physical connectivity of network nodes. The effectiveness, reliability and economy of a
network depend to a great extent on the specific network architecture. There are 5 simple
kinds of network physical topology structures, as shown in Fig. 6. What network
topology to be selected depends on many factors. For instance, a network should be of
high survivability and easy to configure, and the net architecture should be suitable for
the introducing of new services. The different parts of an actual network are applicable to
different topology structures. For instance, ring topology and star topology structures are
very applicable to a local network (namely, an access network or user network), with a
line topology structure also sometimes used. The best advantage of ring network

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topology is its strong survivability, which is of vital importance to a modern high-
capacity optical fiber network. Therefore, special importance is attached to a ring
network in an SDH network. The mesh structure is not influenced by the problems of
node bottleneck and failure and there are multiple optional routes between two nodes. It

has a high reliability, but a complex structure and high costs. Therefore, it is applicable to
a backbone network with heavy traffic.

(a) Line ADM TM

TM ADM
topology

(b) Star
TM DXC/ADM TM
topology

TM TM TM

(c) Tree
topology DXC/ADM ADM ADM TM

TM TM

TM

ADM
(d) Ring
topology
ADM ADM

ADM

(e) Mesh
topology DXC/ADM DXC/ADM

DXC/ADM DXC/ADM

Fig.6. Physical topology of an SDH network

SDH Network Survivability

7.5 Network survivability

Modern society relies more and more on communication and the survivability of a
communication network. The so-called self-healing network means that a network can

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automatically recover the carried services from a failure fault in a very short period of
time without making users be aware of any network fault. Its basic principles are to
enable a network to find faults and re-establish communication. A self-healing network

involves no repairing and replacement of a specific faulty component or part for the
reestablishment of communication.

8.0 Different Protection scheme applicable in network

1. Linear Protection
There are three different protection schemes in Linear Protection
a. 1+1 protection scheme ( 1+1 configuration )
The simplest from of Protection is known as 1+1 APS. Here, each working line is
protected by one protection line. The same signal is transmitted on both lines. If a failure
or degradation occur, the network elements switch the connection over to the Protection
line at the receive end
W

b. 1:1 Protection scheme (1:1 configuration)

A protection line is used to directly replace the working line when it fails.
The protection path can only be used if a switchover takes place at both the transmitting
end and the receiving end. Switching at the far end is initiated by a return message in the
backward channel.

c. 1: N Protection scheme
A 1: N configuration represents a more cost- effective solution than the other two
mechanisms describe above. N working channels are protected by one protection
channel. If there are no defects in the network, this protection channel can be used to
transport low-priority traffic

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8.1 Sub Network Connection (SNC) Protection:

Sub network connection protection is a dedicated protection mechanism that can be used
on any physically structure (i.e. meshed. ring, or mixed). It may be applied in any path in
a layered network.. it can be used to protect a portion of a path ( e.g. that where two
separate path segments are available), or the full end to end path. It switches on server
failures (using inherent monitoring) or it switch using client layer information (using non
intrusive monitoring). It need not be used on all VCs within all multiplex section. SNC
protection operates in a single- ended manner.

9.0 SDH Rings

Ring: A collection of nodes forming a-closed loop whereby each node is connected to
two adjacent nodes via a duplex communication facility. A ring provides redundant
bandwidth or redundant network equipment, or both; so distributed services can be
automatically restored following a failure or degradation in the network. Thus a ring can
be self-healing.

SDH is normally configured as ring architecture. This is done to create loop diversity for
uninterrupted service protection purposes in case of link or equipment failures. The SDH
ring are commonly called self-healing ring, since the traffic flowing along a certain path
can automatically be switched to an alternate or standby path following failure or
degradation or link failure.

The important features SDH rings are:

 There can be either two or four fibers running between the nodes on a ring.
 The operating signals can travel either clockwise only (unidirectional ring) or in
both directions around the ring (bi-directional ring)
 Protection switching can be performed either via a line- switching or a path-
switching scheme.

Upon link failure or degradation, line switching moves all single channels of an entire
STM-N channel to a protection fiber. Conversely, path switching can move individual
payload channels within an STM-N channel to another path.

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The following two ring architectures have become popular for SDH network
 Two fiber unidirectional, self healing ring (USHR)

 Two-fiber or four-fiber, bi-directional, line- switching ring (two-fiber or four-

fiber BSHR)

They are also referred to as unidirectional or bi-directional self_ healing ring (USHR or
BSHR) respectively.

Figure shown below depicts a two-fiber unidirectional self-healing ring network. By

convention, in a unidirectional ring the normal working traffic travels clockwise around
the ring, on the primary path. For example, the connection from node 1 to node 3 uses
links 1 and 2, whereas the traffic from node 3 to node 1 traverses link 3 and 4. Thus two
communicating nodes use a specific bandwidth capacity around the entire perimeter of
the ring. If nodes 1 and 3 exchange information at an STM-1 rate in an STM-4 ring then
they use one -quarter of the capacity around the ring on all the primary rings. In a
unidirectional ring the counter-clockwise path is used as an alternate route for protection
against link or node failures. This protection path (links 5-8) is indicated by dashed lines.
To achieve protection, the signal from a transmitting node is dual-fed into both the
primary and protection fibers. The receiver normally selects the signal from the primary
path. However, it continuously compares the fidelity of each signal and chooses the
alternate signal in case of severe degradation or loss of primary signal.

Primary path
1
Node 1 Node 2

8
Protection path

4 5 7 2

Node 4 Node 3
6

3
Figure (a)

9.1 Features Of USHR:

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This scheme offers less information regarding operating system. In normal condition the
traffic flows in clockwise directions in one fiber. In failure condition the traffic in counter
clockwise directions path is used as alternate path for protection against ring or node
failure. The USHR mechanism itself does not remain aware that which fiber is carrying

traffic. In case traffic is switched over alternate path, the traffic returned on normal path
after restoration. But it protect the traffic positively. It offers cost effective solution for
low level of capacity network.

9.2 Feature Of BSHR:

The scheme requires an APS protocol to make it operative. The traffic flows from node 1
to node 3 in clockwise direction along links 1p and 2p. But in return path the traffic
flows from node 3 to node 1 in counter clockwise direction along links 7p and 8p Thus
the information exchange between nodes 1 and 3 does not tie up any of the primary
channel bandwidth in the other half of the ring

1p
Node 1 Node 2

8p

4p 5p 7p 2p

6p
Node 4 Node 3

3p

9.3 MS shared protection rings

MS shared protection ring can be categorized into types: two fiber and four fiber. The
ring APS protocol accommodates both types.

For MS shared protection rings, the working channels carry service to be protected while
the protection channels are reserved for protection of this service. Working traffic is
transported bi-directionally over spans: an incoming tributary travels in one direction the
working channels while its associated outgoing tributary travels in the opposite direction
but over the same spans.

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Depending upon the tributary pattern, the maximum load that can be placed on a (bi-
directional) MS shared protection ring can exceed the maximum load that can be placed
on the equivalent type of unidirectional ring (e.g. MS SPRING provides a capacity

advantage over unidirectional ring, except whenever the tributaries are all destined for
only one node on the ring, in which case they are equivalent).

One advantage of MS shared protection ring is that service can be routed on the ring in
either one of the two different directions, the long way around the ring or the short way.
Although the short way will usually be preferred, occasionally routing service over the
long way permits some load balancing capabilities.

When the protection channels are not being used to restore the working channels, they
can be used to carry extra traffic. In the event of a protection switch, the working traffic
on the working channels will access the protection channels causing any extra traffic to
be removed form the protection channels.

During a ring switch, working channels transmitted toward the failed span are switched at
one switching node to the protection channels transmitted in the opposite direction (away
from the failure). This bridged traffic travels the long way around the ring on the
protection channels to the other switching node where the protection channels are
switched back onto the working channels. In the other direction, the working channels are
bridged and switched in the same manner

During a ring switch, the fails span is effectively “replaced” with the protection channels
between the switching nodes, traveling the ling way around the ring. Since the protection
channels along each (except the failed span) are used for recovery, the protection capacity
is effectively shared by all spans.

The pair of tributaries (incoming and outgoing) only uses capacity along the spans
between the nodes where the pair is added and dropped. Thus, the sum of the tributaries
that traverse a span cannot exceed the maximum capacity of that particular span. The
switching protocol shall be able to accommodate up to 16 nodes on a ring excluding
regenerators

9.4 SDH Customer Premises Equipment:

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With advent of corporate customers, lot of demand is being generated for provision of
optical connectivity at various SDH bit rates like 2Mbps, 34 Mbps/ DS3 and STM1 level.
Besides these there has been a huge requirement of Ethernet connectivity at 10/ 100 Base
T Ethernet Trib. as well as 100 Base FX Ethernet trib with facilities of inbuilt

aggregation. There will be an option of Ethernet Adapter to convert Ethernet in desired

bit rates. The CPE equipment is capable of having Remote monitoring through EMS on
an embedded DCC channel through VC12 embedded in STM-1 line rate. Basically all
these CPE terminals are having capabilities of Next Generation SDH with certain
modification like extending uninterrupted power supply at customers’ end for long
durations through UPS. The VCG capabilities on VC12 and VC3 level can be carried out
in these equipments on VCAT principles

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Chapter 2: SDH Overview, CPE & Protection Schemes

Sample Self study Objective Questions

(A) Short answer questions.

1. What are the advantages of SDH ?
2. Explain STM-1 frame in brief.
3. State Four types of SDH network elements.
4. Draw digrams of different topologies of SDH networks.
5. State three important features SDH rings.

(B) Objective questions.

1. SDH does not permit transport and networking at the _____Mbit/s level.
(a.2, b.8, c.34, d.140.)

2. SDH frame structure is _______.(a.rectangular, b.square, c.circular, d.hexagonal.)

3. STM-1 frame consists of ____ columns and 9-row bytes.

(a.269, b.270, c.271, d.272)

4. Frame duration in SDH frame is ______µs.(a.125, b.128, c.2, d.72.)

5. ________is used to indicate the accurate position of the first byte of information
payload in the STM-N frame. (a. AU pointer, b.RSOH, c.MSOH, d.Payload.)

6. The NE used at the end of the link is _______.(a.TM, b.ADM, c.DXC, d.REG)

7. SHR stands for _______.

(a.self healing ring, b. soft headlining ring, c.short hex rate, d.self heating
regenerator.)

8. CPE terminals are having capabilities of Next Generation SDH (T/F)

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9. SDH is normally configured as mesh architecture (T/F)

10. The frame structure of STM-N is made up of three parts: section overhead,
including Regenerator Section Overhead (RSOH) and Multiplex Section
Overhead (MSOH), Information Payload (Payload) and Administrative Unit
Pointer (AU-PTR). (T/F).

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