SDH Principle

Frame Structure &

Multiplexing Methods
CONTENTS
SDH Overview Overheads & Pointers

2
Emergence of SDH

Synchronous Digital Hierarchy

 It defines a standard frame structure, a specific multiplexing
method, and so on.
What is SDH?

Need for a system to process increasing amounts of

information.
Why did SDH New standard that allows interconnecting equipment of
different suppliers.
emerge?

3
Advantages of SDH

SDH optical interfaces PDH electrical interfaces

Can be connected to different Only 3 regional standards: European
Interfaces
vendors’ optical transmission (2.048 Mb/s), Japanese, North American
equipments
(1.544 Mb/s)

SDH electrical interfaces PDH optical interfaces

Universal standards No standards, manufacturers

develop at their will

4
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

Not suitable for huge-volume transmission More equipment to achieve this functionality
Headache for network planners More equipment  More floor space
More power  More costs
5
Advantages of SDH

 Multiplexing methods: byte interleaved

STM-1A Lower rate SDH to higher rate SDH One Byte from
AA A (STM-1 STM-4 STM-16  STM-64) STM-1 B

STM-1B …
BB B 4:1
STM-4

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

6
Advantages of SDH

PDH OAM function SDH

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

7
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

8
Comparison between SDH and PDH

SDH
 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

9
 Frame Structure &
Multiplexing Methods
CONTENTS
SDH Overview Overheads & Pointers

10
SDH Frame Structure

Frame = 125 us
From ITU-T
G.707 ：
1
 One frame lasts for 125
microseconds (8000 2
frames/s) 3
 Rectangular block
4
structure 9 rows and 9 rows
270 columns (Basic 5
frame: STM-1) 6
 Each unit is one byte (8 7
bits)
 Transmission mode: 8
Byte by byte, row by 9
row, from left to right,
from top to bottom
270 Columns

Bit rate of STM-1= 9*270*8*8000

11
SDH Frame Structure

Frame = 125 us

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

12
SDH Frame Structure

Information LPOH, TU-PTR

Payload： RSOH
package
 Also known as Virtual AU-PTR

HPOH
Container level 4 (VC- 9 rows Payload low rate signal
4)
 Used to transport low MSOH package
speed tributary signals
 Contains low rate
signals and Path LPOH, TU-PTR
9 1 Data
Overhead (POH)
 Location: rows #1 ~ #9, 270 Columns package
columns #10 ~ #270

13
SDH Frame Structure

Types of Section 1
2 RSOH
Overhead： 3

 RSOH monitors the

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

Functions: Fulfills the section layer OAM

14
SDH Frame Structure

Types of Section RSOH

Overhead：
AU-PTR Information
Function: 9 rows
Payload
 Indicates the first byte MSOH
of VC4

Location: J1

9
 row #4, columns #1 ~
#9 270 Columns

Functions: Fulfills the section layer OAM

15
SDH Multiplexing Features

SDH • 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

16
SDH Multiplexing Features
×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

17
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 140Mb/s to STM-N

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

18
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 140Mb/s to STM-N

AUG-1 1 STM-1 270

10 270
RSOH
Info
Add AU-PTR AU-4 Add
X1 AU-PTR Payload
AU-PTR SOH
MSOH
9
Aligni Multiplexing
ng AUG-N 1 STM-N 270N

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

19
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 34Mb/s to STM-N

C3 VC3

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

20
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 34Mb/s to STM-N

TU-3 TUG-3 VC-4

1 8 1 86 1 3 261
6 1 1 1
H1 H1
H2 H2
H
1st H3 Fill H3
×3 P
gap R R
align O
R
H
9 9 9
Aligning Multiplexing Same
procedure
as 140M

21
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 2Mb/s to STM-N

C12 VC12 TU12

1 4 1 LPOH 4 1 4
1 1 1

Rate Add Add Next

2M
Adaptation LPOH TU-PTR page

9 9 9
125μs Mapping Aligning TU-PTR

22
SDH Multiplexing Features

From 2Mb/s to STM-N

TUG-2 TUG-3

1 12 1 86
1 1

X3 X7 R R

9 9
Same
procedure
Multiplexing Multiplexing
as 34M

23
Questions

?
What are the main parts of SDH
Frame structure?

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

24
 Frame Structure &
Multiplexing Methods
CONTENTS
SDH Overview Overheads & Pointers

25
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)

26
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
3

HPOH: VC-3/4
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 D11 D12  K3

● Media dependent bytes (Radio-link, Satellite) V5 J2 N2 K4
X Reserved for National use
S1 M1 E2 LPOH: VC-11/12 N1
 Huawei propriety bytes

27
A1 and A2 Bytes

A1 and A2
Bytes：

Framing Bytes :
 Indicate the beginning
STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N STM-N
of the STM-N frame

 Bytes are unscrambled

 A1 = f 6H (11110110) Finding frame head

A2 = 28H (00101000)
。

28
A1 and A2 Bytes

Frame
A1 and A2
Bytes： N over 625μs
Find
A1,A2 (5 frames)
Framing Bytes :
 Indicate the beginning OOF
of the STM-N frame Y
over 3ms
 Bytes are unscrambled
LOF
 A1 = f 6H (11110110)
A2 = 28H (00101000)
。 Next AIS
process

29
D1 ~ D12 Bytes

D1 ~ D12
Bytes：

Data Communications NE NE NE NE
Channel (DCC) Bytes :

 RS-DCC – D1 ~ D3 – DCC channel

192 Kbit/s (3x64 Kbit/s) TMN OAM Information: Operation,
 MS-DCC – D4 ~ D12 – Administration and maintenance
576 Kbit/s (9x64 Kbit/s)

30
E1 and E2 Bytes

E1 ~ E2
Bytes：
NE NE NE NE
Orderwire Bytes :

 E1 – RS Orderwire Byte E1 and E2

 Used between
regenerators Digital telephone channel
E1-RS, E2-MS
 E2 – MS Orderwire Byte
 Used between
multiplexers

31
B1 Byte

B1 Byte： B1 STM-N

Bit interleaved Parity Tx Rx

Code (BIP-8) Byte : A1 00110011
A2 11001100
 A parity code (even A3 10101010 1#STM-N Calculate B 2#STM-N
parity) BIP-8
A4 00001111
 Used to check the
transmission errors over B 01011010 2#STM-N B1 = B Calculate B’ 1#STM-N
the RS Compare B’ & B  RS-BBE
 B1 BBE is represented
by RS-BBE
(performance event)

32
B2 Byte

B2 Byte

 BIP-24 is usedInterfaces
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

33
M1 Byte

M1 Byte：
Traffic
Multiplexing Section
Remote Error Indication Tx Rx
Byte :
 A return message from Rx
to Tx ,when Rx find B2 bit Return M1
errors Generate
 Value is the same as the MS-FEBBE Find B2 bit errors
count of BIP-24xN (B2) bit
MS-REI Generate MS-BBE
errors
 Tx generate corresponding
performance event MS-
FEBBE

34
K1 and K2 (b1-b5) Bytes

Automatic Protection Switching (APS) bytes

I
Interfaces
I I

S I WT
R
S P WT
P P P
R
Used for network multiplexing
Transmitting APS protocol
protection switch function

35
K2 (b6 ~ b8) Byte

K2 (b6 ~ b8) Start

Byte：
Detect
Rx detects K2 (b6-b8) =
"111“ :
K2 (b6- 110
 Generate MS-AIS b8)
alarm 111
Generate
Rx detects K2 (b6-b8) =
MS-AIS
"110“ :
 Generate MS-RDI
alarm Generate
Return
MS-RDI
MS-RDI

36
S1 Byte

Synchronization Status Message Byte (SSB): S1

 b1 ~ b4  Value indicates the external clock ID

Interfaces
(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 Do not use for sync (DNU).
1000 SSU-B (G.812 local)
1011 G.813 (Sync. Equipment Timing Clock)
1111

37
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 G1
Path Status
5 Path User Channel
F2
6 TU Multiframe Indication
H4
7 M S O H Path User Channel
8 F3 AP Switching
9 K3 Network Operator

Higher Order Path Overhead N1

38
J1 Byte

Detect J1
J1 Byte：

Path trace byte :

 The first byte of VC-4 N Y

Match
 User-programmable
(HUAWEI SBS)
 The received J1
should match the Next
expected J1 HP-TIM process

39
B3 Byte

Verify B3
B3 Byte：

Path bit parity :

 Even parity code N Y

 Used to detect bit Correct
errors
 Mechanism is same as
B1 and B2
HP-BBE Next
process

40
C2 Byte

Detect C2

C2 Byte：
N 00H
Y
Signal label byte :

 The received C2 Y N
should match with the Match HP-UNEQ
expected C2
 Specifies the mapping Next HP-
type in the VC-n process SLM
 00 H  Unequipped
 02 H  TUG structure
 13 H  ATM mapping Insert AIS
downward

41
Path Overheads

Low Order Path Overhead

V5 Byte：
1 4
 Indicated by TU-PTR 1 V5 J2 N2 K4
 Error checking, Signal
Label and Path Status
of VC-12 VC-12 VC-12 VC-12 VC-12
 b1 - b2  Error
Performance Monitoring
(BIP-2)
 b3  Return Error
detected in VC-12 (LP-
REI)
 b8  Return alarm 9
detected in VC-12 (LP-
RDI) 500μs VC-12 multi-frame

42
Pointers

Bytes indicated

 AU-PTR VC-4  J1
 TU-PTR Interfaces
VC-3  J1
VC-12 V5

Pointers

Administrative Tributary
Unit Pointer Unit Pointer
(AU-PTR) (TU-PTR)

43
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

44
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

V V V V
1 2 3 4

45
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?

46
Summary

Frame Structure &

Multiplexing Methods

SDH Overview Overheads & Pointers

47
 THANK YOU

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