SDH Principle

Contents
1. SDH Overview
2. Frame Structure & Multiplexing Methods
3. Overheads & Pointers

Page1
 Emergence of SDH
• What is SDH?
– Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
– It defines a standard frame structure, a specific
multiplexing method, and so on.

 Why did SDH emerge?

 Need for a system to process increasing amounts of
information.
 New standard that allows interconnecting equipment
of different suppliers.

Page2
 Advantages of SDH
 Interfaces
 PDH electrical interfaces  SDH electrical interfaces
 Only 3 regional standards:  Universal standards
European (2.048 Mb/s),  SDH optical interfaces
Japanese, North American
 Can be connected to
(1.544 Mb/s)
different vendors’ optical
 PDH optical interfaces transmission equipments.
 No standards,
manufacturers develop at
their will.

Page3
 Disadvantages of PDH
• Multiplexing methods: Level by level
140 Mb/s 140 Mb/s

34 Mb/s 34 Mb/s

8 Mb/s 8 Mb/s

Demultiplexers Multiplexers

2 Mb/s
More equipment to achieve this functionality
Not suitable for huge-volume transmission More equipment  More floor space
Headache for network planners More power  More costs

Page4
 Advantages of SDH
 Multiplexing methods: byte interleaved
Lower rate SDH to higher rate SDH One Byte from
STM-1
A STM-1 B
(STM-1 STM-4 STM-16  STM-64)
A A A

STM-1
B …
B B B 4:1
STM-4
C
STM-1
C
C
--- Synchronous multiplexing method and
D
STM-1
flexible mapping structure
D D --- Multistage pointer to align PDH loads in
What about PDH? SDH frame, thus, dynamic drop-and-insert
capabilities

Page5
 Advantages of SDH
 OAM function
 PDH
 In the frame structure of
PDH signals, there are
few overhead bytes used
for OAM.
 Weak OAM function
 SDH
 Abundant overheads
bytes for OAM
 Remote & Centralized
Management
 Fast circuit provisioning
from centralized point
Page6
 Advantages of SDH
 Compatibility

STM-N
STM-N Transmit Receive

Processing Processing
SDH Network

Container Container

Pack Unpack

PDH SDH ATM Ethernet PDH SDH ATM Ethernet

Service Signal Flow Model

Page7
Comparison between SDH and PDH
 Low bandwidth utilization ratio
 In PDH, E4 signal (140Mbits/s) can contain 64 E1 signals.

 In SDH, STM-1 (155 Mbits/s) can only carry 63 E1 signals.

 Complex mechanism of pointer justification

 Influence of excessive use of software on system security

Page8
 Contents
1. SDH Overview
2. Frame Structure & Multiplexing Methods
3. Overheads & Pointers

Page9
 SDH Frame Structure
Frame = 125 us
From ITU-T G.707:

1. One frame lasts for 125

microseconds (8000
1
frames/s)
2
2. Rectangular block
3
structure 9 rows and 270
4
columns (Basic frame: 9 rows
5
STM-1)
6
3. Each unit is one byte (8 bits)
7
4. Transmission mode: Byte
8
by byte, row by row, from
9
left to right, from top to
bottom
270 Columns
Bit rate of STM-1= 9*270*8*8000

Page10
 SDH Frame Structure
Frame = 125 us

 Three parts: 1
2 RSOH
 SOH 3 AU-
4 Information
5 PTR 9 rows
 AU-Pointer Payload
6
7 MSOH
 Information 8
9
Payload
9

270 Columns

Page11
 SDH Frame Structure
Information Payload
√ Also known as Virtual Container level 4 (VC-4)
√ Used to transport low speed tributary signals
√ Contains low rate signals and Path Overhead (POH)
√ Location: rows #1 ~ #9, columns #10 ~ #270
LPOH, TU-PTR

RSOH
package
AU-PTR
HPOH

9 rows Payload low rate signal

MSOH package

LPOH, TU-PTR
9 1 Data
package
270 Columns

Page12
 SDH Frame Structure
Section Overhead
Functions: Fulfills the section layer OAM

1 Types of Section Overhead

2 RSOH
3 1. RSOH monitors the regenerator
AU-PTR Information section
5 9 rows 2. MSOH monitors the
6 Payload multiplexing section
7 MSOH Location:
8 1. RSOH: rows #1 ~ #3,
9 columns #1 ~ #9
2. MSOH: rows #5 ~ #9,
9
columns #1 ~ #9
270 Columns

Page13
 SDH Frame Structure
AU-PTR

RSOH
Function:
Indicates the first byte of VC4
4 AU-PTR Information
Location: 9 rows
row #4, columns #1 ~ #9 Payload
MSOH

J
1
9

270 Columns

Page14
 SDH Multiplexing Features
• SDH Multiplexing includes:
– Low to high rate SDH signals (STM-1  STM-N)
– PDH to SDH signals (2M, 34M & 140M  STM-N)
– Other hierarchy signals to SDH Signals (IP  STM-N)
• Some terms and definitions:
– Mapping
– Aligning
– Multiplexing

Go to glossary

Page15
 SDH Multiplexing Structure
×1 ×1 AU-4-64c VC-4-64c C-4-64c
STM-64 AUG-64
×4
×1 ×1
STM-16 AUG-16 AU-4-16c VC-4-16c C-4-16c
×4
×1 ×1
STM-4 AUG-4 AU-4-4c VC-4-4c C-4-4c
×4
×1
×1
STM-1 AUG-1 AU-4 VC-4 C-4 E4
signal
×3

Mapping ×1
TUG-3 TU-3 VC-3 C-3 E3 signal
Aligning
×7
Multiplexing
TUG-2

Go to glossary TU-12 VC-12 C-12 E1 signal

×3

Page16
 From 140Mb/s to STM-N

C4 VC4
1
1
H
Rate Add HPOH P
140M Next
adaptation
O
H
9 Mapping 9
1 260 261
1
125 μs 125μs

Page17
 From 140Mb/s to STM-N
AUG-1 1 STM-1 270
10 270

RSOH
Info
Add AU-PTR AU-4 Add AU-PTR Payload
AU-PTR X1
SOH
MSOH
9

Aligning Multiplexing
AUG-N 1 STM-N 270N

RSOH
Info
One STM-1 frame can load Add Payload
AU-PTR
only one 140Mbit/s Signal SOH
MSOH
9

Page18
 From 34Mb/s to STM-N

C3 VC3

1 1
L
34M Rate Add LPOH P
Adaptation Next
O
H
9 9
84 Mapping 85
1 1
125μs 125μs

Page19
 From 34Mb/s to STM-N
TU-3 TUG-3 VC-4

1 86 1 86 1 3 261
1 1 1
H1 H1
H2 H2
H3 H3 H
Fill P
1st ×3
gap R R
align O
R
H

9 9 9
Aligning Multiplexing Same
procedure
as 140M

Page20
 From 2Mb/s to STM-N

VC12 TU12
C12

1 4 1 LPOH 4 1 4
1 1 1

Rate Add Add Next

2M
Adaptation LPOH TU-PTR page

9 9 9

125μs Aligning
Mapping TU-PTR

Page21
 From 2Mb/s to STM-N
TUG-2 TUG-3

1 12 1 86
1 1

R R
X3 X7

9 9

Same
Multiplexing Multiplexing
procedure
as 34M

Page22
 Questions

• What are the main parts of SDH Frame structure?

• What is the transmission rate of STM-4? How to calculate it ?

Page23
 Contents
1. SDH Overview
2. Frame Structure & Multiplexing Methods
3. Overheads & Pointers

Page24
 Overheads

Overheads

Section Path
Overhead Overhead
(SOH) (POH)

Regenerator Multiplex Section High Order Path Low Order Path

Section Overhead Overhead Overhead Overhead
(RSOH) (MSOH) (HPOH) (LPOH)

Page25
 Overheads
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 A1 A1 A1 A2 A2 A2 J0 X X J1
RSOH

2
B1 ● ● E1 ● F1 X X B3

HPOH: VC-3/4
3
4 D1 ● ● D2 ● D3   C2
5 AU-PTR G1
6
MSOH

B2 B2 B2 K1 K2 F2
7
8 D4  D5 D6 H4
9
D7 D8 D9 F3

D10 dependent bytes (Radio-link,

● Media D11 Satellite) D12  K3
X Reserved for National use V5 J2 N2 K4
S1 propriety bytes
 Huawei M1 E2 LPOH: VC-11/12 N1

Page26
 A1 and A2 Bytes
• Framing Bytes
– Indicate the beginning of the STM-N frame
– Bytes are unscrambled
– A1 = f6H (11110110), A2 = 28H (00101000)
– STM-N: (3XN) A1 bytes, (3XN) A2 bytes

STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N

Finding frame head

Page27
A1 and A2 Bytes
Frame

N over 625μs
Find (5 frames)
A1,A2

OOF
Y
over 3ms

LOF

Next AIS
process

Page28
 D1 ~ D12 Bytes
• Data Communications Channel (DCC)
Bytes
– RS-DCC – D1 ~ D3 – 192 Kbit/s (3x64
Kbit/s)
– MS-DCC – D4 ~ D12 – 576 Kbit/s (9x64
Kbit/s)
NE NE NE NE

DCC channel
TMN OAM Information: Operation, Administration and
maintenance

Page29
 E1 and E2 Bytes
• Orderwire Bytes
– E1 – RS Orderwire Byte  Used between
regenerators
– E2 – MS Orderwire Byte  Used between
multiplexers
NE NE NE NE

E1 and E2

Digital telephone channel

E1-RS, E2-MS

Page30
 B1 Byte
• Bit interleaved Parity Code (BIP-8) Byte
– A parity code (even parity)
– Used to check the transmission errors over the
RS
– B1 BBE is represented by RS-BBE (performance
event)
Tx Rx
A1 00110011 B1 STM-N
A2 11001100
A3 10101010 1#STM-N Calculate B 2#STM-N
BIP-8
A4 00001111

B 01011010 2#STM-N B1 = B Calculate B’ 1#STM-N

Compare B’ & B  RS-BBE

Page31
 B2 Byte
• Bit interleaved Parity Code (MS BIP-24) Byte
– BIP-24 is used to check the bit errors over the
MS
– B2 BBE is represented by MS-BBE (performance
event)
– The working mechanism of B2 is same as B1

Page32
 M1 Byte
• Multiplexing Section Remote Error Indication Byte
– A return message from Rx to Tx ,when Rx find B2 bit errors
– Value is the same as the count of BIP-24xN (B2) bit errors
– Tx generate corresponding performance event MS-FEBBE

Traffic

Tx Rx

Return M1
Generate
MS-FEBBE Find B2 bit errors
MS-REI Generate MS-BBE

Page33
 K1 and K2 (b1-b5) Bytes
Automatic
Protection
Switching
(APS) bytes I

I I

I
S WTR

S P WTR
P P P

Used for network multiplexing

Transmitting APS protocol
protection switch function

Page34
 K2 (b6 ~ b8) Byte
Start
• Rx detects K2 (b6-b8) =
"111“
Detect
– Generate MS-AIS alarm K2 (b6- 110
b8)
• Rx detects K2 (b6-b8) = 111
"110"
Generate
– Generate MS-RDI alarm MS-AIS

Generate
Return
MS-RDI
MS-RDI

Page35
 S1 Byte
• Synchronization Status Message Byte (SSB): S1
– b1 ~ b4  Value indicates the external clock ID (Extended SSM)
– b5 ~ b8  Value indicates the sync. Level (Standard SSM)

bits 5 ~ 8 Description
0000 Quality unknown (existing sync. Network)
0010 G.811 PRC
0100 SSU-A (G.812 transit)
1000 SSU-B (G.812 local)
1011 G.813 (Sync. Equipment Timing Clock)
1111 Do not use for sync (DNU).

Page36
 Path Overheads
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
1 J1 VC-n Path Trace Byte

2 R S O H B3 Path BIP-8

3 C2
Path Signal Label
4 A U–P T R Path Status
G1
5 Path User Channel
F2
6 TU Multiframe Indication
7 M S O H H4 Path User Channel
8 F3 AP Switching
9 K3 Network Operator

Higher Order Path Overhead N1

Page37
 J1 Byte
• Path trace byte
Detect J1
– The first byte of VC-4
– User-programmable
(HUAWEI SBS) N Y
Match
– The received J1 should
match the expected J1
Next
HP-TIM process

Page38
 B3 Byte
• Path bit parity
– Even parity code Verify B3

– Used to detect bit errors

– Mechanism is same as B1 and B2
N Y
Correct

HP-BBE Next
process

Page39
 C2 Byte
• Signal label byte Detect C2

– The received C2
should match with the
N Y
expected C2 00H

– Specifies the mapping Y N

type in the VC-n Match HP-UNEQ

• 00 H  Unequipped
• 02 H  TUG structure Next HP-SLM
• 13 H  ATM mappingprocess
Insert AIS
downward

Page40
 Path Overheads
 V5 Low Order Path Overhead

 Indicated by TU-PTR 1 4

 Error checking, Signal Label 1 V5 J2 N2 K4

and Path Status of VC-12

 b1 - b2  Error Performance VC-12 VC-12 VC-12 VC-12

Monitoring (BIP-2)

 b3  Return Error detected in

VC-12 (LP-REI)
9
 b8  Return alarm detected
in VC-12 (LP-RDI) 500μs VC-12 multi-frame

Page41
 Pointers

Pointers

Bytes indicated
Administrative Tributary
Unit Pointer Unit Pointer AU-PTR VC-4  J1
(AU-PTR) (TU-PTR) TU-PTR VC-3  J1
VC-12 V5

Page42
 AU-PTR
1
Negative Positive
RSOH
justification justification

4
H1YYH2FF H3H3H3 0 --- 1--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 86
87 --- 88 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 173
MSOH
9 435 --- 436 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 521 125μs
1 522 --- 523 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 608
RSOH
696 --- 697 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 782

4 H1YYH2FFH3H3H3 0 --- 1 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 86
87 --- 88 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 173
MSOH
9 435 --- 436 --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- 521 250μs
1 9 270
Page43
 TU-PTR
TU Multi-frame 500μs

1 4
1
H1
H2
TU POINTERS
H3
VC3
VC- VC- VC- VC-
12 12 12 12

TU POINTERS

V1 V2 V3 V4

Page44
 Questions
• Which byte is used to report the MS-AIS and MS-RDI?
• What is the mechanism for R-LOF generation?
• Which byte implements the RS (MS/HP) error monitoring?

Page45
 Summary
• SDH Overview
• Frame Structure & Multiplexing Methods
• Overheads & Pointers

Page46