Captulo 7

SONET/PDH
SDH
Ing. Jos Patio Snchez

What is SONET/SDH?
SONET Synchronous Optical NETwork
SDH Synchronous Digital Hierarchy
SONET and SDH define a set of physical layer
standards for communications over optical
fiber.

Note
SONET was developed by ANSI
SDH was developed by ITU-T
Both SDH and SONET are widely used
today: SONET in the United States and
Canada, and SDH in the rest of the
world.
Although the SONET standards were
developed before SDH, it is considered
a variation of SDH because of SDH's
greater worldwide market penetration

17.4

A simple network using SONET

quipment

SONET/SDH rates

Bit rates

PDH: Plesiochronous Digital

Hierarchy

PDH: Plesiochronous
Digital Hierarchy
Its
a
technology
used
in
telecommunications network to transport
large quantity of data over digital
transport equipment such as Fiber Optic
and microwave radio wave systems.
The term Plesiochronous is derived
from Greek Plesio which means near,
and chronous, time.
It means that PDH networks run in a
state where different parts of the network
are almost, but not quite perfectly
synchronized.

PDH
Sending a large quantity of data
on
fiber
optic
transmission
system.
Transmission and reception are
synchronized but timing is not.
The channel clocks are derived
from different master clocks
whose range is specified to lie
within
certain
limits.
The
multiplexed signal is called a
plesiochronous signal.

PDH
PDH allows transmission of data
streams that are nominally running
at the same rate, but allowing some
variation on the speed around a
nominal rate.
By analogy, any two watches are
nominally running at the same rate,
clocking up 60 seconds every
minute.
However, there is no link between
watches to guarantee they run at
exactly the same rate.

What is SDH?
SYNCHRONOUS :
One master clock & all elements
synchronise with it.
DIGITAL:
Information in binary.
HIERARCHY:
Set of bit rates in a hierarchial
order.

SDH Definition
SDH is a standard for high speed
high
capacity
optical
telecommunication networks ; more
specifically a synchronous digital
hierarchy.
It is a synchronous digital transport
system aimed at providing a more
simple, economic and flexible
telecommunications
network
infrastructure.

Where is SDH used ?

SDH can be used in all of the
traditional network application areas.
A single SDH network infrastructure is
therefore possible which provides an
efficient
direct
interconnection
between
the
three
major
telecommunication networks.

Notes on SDH rates

The most common SDH line rates
in use today are 155.52 Mbps,
622.08 Mbps, 2.5 Gbps, 10 Gbps.
SDH is a structure that is designed
for the future, ensuring that
higher line rates can be added
when required.

PDH vs SDH

SDH signal structure

The SDH signal is transported as a
synchronous structure which comprises
a set of 8-bit bytes organised into a
two dimensional frame.
The Truck analogy is a popular way to
help us understand the contents of the
SDH frame.

SDH Frame Structure:

Truck Analogy

SDH Frame Structure:

Truck Analogy

The Payload
The contents of the container carried
by the truck represent the real value.
This Payload is analogous to customer
traffic, being carried by the container
within an SDH frame.
This Payload container supports the
transportation of specific tributary
signals.

The Section Overhead

What actually gets the contents of

the truck to its destination is the
tractor unit.
This analogous to the network
maintenance
and
management
capability carried by the SDH frame,
known as its Section OverHead, or
SOH.

The Virtual Container

Even if the container is loaded onto a
different truck, there is a portion of
overhead that always remains with it.
This is known as the Path OverHead, or
POH.
The
Path
Overhead
is
directly
associated with the payload capacity
area, and together they form whats
known as the Virtual Container.

SDH Principle

SDH: Standard Frame

Representation

SDH: Standard Frame

Representation
Everywhere in the world, the standard SDH
frame
representation is a : MATRIX with 9 rows

STM1 Frames

SDH: Frame Structure

270 Columns (Bytes)
270

transmit
row by row

RSOH
3
4

AU Pointer

Payload
(transport capacity)

MSOH
9

ITU-T defines the frequency to be 8000 frames per second for all levels
in STM hierarchy
Synchronous Transport Modules are the bit-signals for SDH
STM-1 Rate :
9 rows x 270 columns x 8 bits/byte x 8000 frames per
second
= 155.52 Mb/s

FRAME
REPRESENTATION
1ST ROW

2ND ROW

3RD ROW

9TH ROW

9
261

261
I

S
O
H

261

261
261

PAY LOAD

270
(MATRIX REPRESENTATION)

SDH Frame Structure

SDH Frame Structure

All SDH frames have the same
structure:

Transport Overhead : AU4

pointer
In order to illustrate the pointer working, have
a look on the following picture:

Transport Overhead : AU4

pointer
You have exactly the same phenomenon in
SDH:

SDH Multiplexing
SDH is a new way of multiplexing slow signals onto
a faster signal.
It has mechanisms for dealing with tributaries that
are not running at the same clock rate.

SDH Multiplexing
Translation of the previous picture in SDH
language :

SDH Multiplexing

SDH Multiplexing:
E3=>STM1

You can map 3 E3 (34 Mbit/s) onto one STM1.

SDH Multiplexing:
E3=>STM1

SDH Multiplexing Map

SDH Hierarchy

What is the concatenation?

What are the different

concatenation
possibilities?

What are the different

concatenation
possibilities?

What are the different

concatenation
possibilities?

What is the Justification?

In theory, the E4 speed should be the
same than the C4 speed.
But in practical, the E4 speed can be a
little bit faster or slower than the
theoretical speed.
If you want to adapt the speed
variation, you need a special system
called justification each time you
want to map a tributary.

What is the Justification?

What is the Justification?

Slip, Justification and Jitter

Slip This occurs when the incoming
bit rate does not match with the divided
mux/demux clock rate. Same bit may
be read twice or loss of bits will occur.
Justification:- It is A process of adding
additional bits to solve the problem of
slip.
Jitter:- Displace ment of A pulse from its
normal significant instant is called jitter.

SDH equipments :
Terminal Multiplexer
Input: Low Bit Rate and PDH/T-Carrier
Tributaries
Output: High Bit Rate SDH Signals

SDH equipments :
Regenerator
Input: STM-N Synchronous Signal
Output: STM-N Synchronous Signal
Reconditions Transmission To Minimize
Jitter,
Dispersion, Etc.

SDH equipments:
Transponder (
Converter)

Input: STM-N Synchronous Signal at 1

Output: STM-N Synchronous Signal at 2
Changes the Wavelength of the
Transmission
Signal

SDH equipments:
Add/Drop Multiplexer
Input: STM-N Synchronous Signal
Output: STM-N Synchronous Signal
Allows the Extraction and Injection of
Synchronous
Tributaries

SDH equipments: Digital

Cross Connect
Input: Many STM-N Optical Signals
Output: Many STM-N Optical Signals
Allows Routing of STM-N Signals at High
Data Rates

Network Topology
Traditional networks make use of Point to Point,
Mesh and Hub (i.e Star) arrangements:

but SDH allows these to be used in a much more

comprehensive way.

Network Topology
SDH enables the previous arrangements to be
combinated
with Rings and Chains of ADMs (Add/Drop
Multiplexer) :

Point to Point
Large Capacity (with DWDM)
Few Links
Example: Intercontinental Submarine Links

Ring, Bus, Tree and Star

Differing Capacity
Many Links
Example: Access Networks

Ring, Bus, Tree and Star

Mesh
Many Links
High Capacity
Example: Transport Networks

Network protection: 1+1

Protection
Most
Redundant
Most
Expensive

Each Bidirectional SDH

Channel (2 Fibers)
has a dedicated backup
channel (2 Fibers).

Network protection: 1:N

Protection
Least
Redundant
Most Efficient

Every Bidirectional SDH

Channel (2 Fibers)
shares a dedicated backup
channel (2 Fibers).

Network protection: Ring

Protection

Unidirectional vs.
bidirectional

Bidirectional routing
A-B and B-1 are opposite in direction
both using shortest route
spatial reuse:B timeslots can be reused in other
sections
B
A-B
A-B
B-C
B-A
A

A
C-B
B-A

Y(J)S SONET Slide 63

Unidirectional routing
working channel B-A same direction (e.g. clockwise) as A-B
management simplicity: A-B and B-A can occupy same timeslots
Inefficient: waste in ring BW and excessive delay in one
direction

What is different about SDH vs.

SONET?
In SDH, both electrical and optical signals
are referred to as STM signals.
In SONET, however, electrical signals are
called STS and optical signals are referred
to as OC.