1 The Way to SDH

SDH Basics, Version 2.0

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1.1PCM-30 System (1/2) .......................................................................................... 3

1.1 PCM-30 System (2/2) ......................................................................................... 4
1.2 PDH Multiplexing (1/3)........................................................................................ 5
1.2 PDH Multiplexing (2/3)........................................................................................ 6
1.2 PDH Multiplexing (3/3)........................................................................................ 7
1.3 Limitations of PDH (1/2) ..................................................................................... 8
1.3 Limitations of PDH (2/2) ..................................................................................... 9
1.4 Benefits of SDH................................................................................................ 10
1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (1/3) ........................................................................... 11
1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (2/3) ........................................................................... 12
1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (3/3) ........................................................................... 13
1.6 ETSI Multiplex Scheme .................................................................................... 14

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1.1PCM-30 System (1/2)

Digital data and voice transmission is based on a 2.048 Mbit/s bearer consisting of
30 time division multiplexed (TDM) channels, each running at 64 Kbps. The 2.048
Mbit/s bearer is known as E1. Channel 0 and 16 are used to transmit additional
signalling information within the PCM-30 frame.
At the E1 level, timing is controlled by synchronising to a master Caesium clock.
Increasing traffic over the past decade has demanded that more and more of these
basic E1 bearers be multiplexed together to provide increased capacity. At the same
time, rates have increased through 8, 34, and 140 Mbit/s. The highest capacity
commonly encountered today for inter-city fibre optic links is 565 Mbit/s, with each
link carrying 7,680 base channels, and now even this is insufficient.

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1.1 PCM-30 System (2/2)

Unlike E1 2.048 Mbit/s bearers, higher rate bearers in the hierarchy are operated
plesiochronously. Tolerances on an absolute bit-rate range from 30 ppm at 8 Mbit/s
to 15 ppm at 140 Mbit/s.
Multiplexing such bearers to a higher aggregate rate (e.g. 4 x 8Mbit/s to 1 x
34Mbit/s) requires the padding of each tributary by adding bits so that their
combined rate together with the addition of control bits matches the final aggregate
rate. Plesiochronous transmission is now often referred to as Plesiochronous Digital
Hierarchy (PDH).

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1.2 PDH Multiplexing (1/3)

The common base for the multiplex levels of plesiochronous bearers is represented
by the 64 kbit/s channel. Starting from this common base, the hierarchical levels are
divided into different branches.
One branch describes the multiplex levels of plesiochronous bearers in the
Japanese standard, one further branch shows the multiplex levels of the American
standard and a third one describes the conditions of the European standard. Within
the European standard the multiplex level 1 is made up of bearers with a data rate
of 2.048 Mbit/s. This rate is formed by the PCM-30 frame.
The Japanese and American standards possess a data rate of 1.544 Mbit/s. In this
case, 24 channels of 64 kbit/s each are multiplexed together. Multiplex level 2 is
achieved by multiplexing 4 bearers of level 1. For the Japanese and American
standards, this represents a multiplexed data rate of 6.321 Mbit/s. The European
standard has a combined data rate of 8.448 Mbit/s for multiplex level 2. In the
European multiplex structure 4 bearers each of the corresponding hierarchical level
are multiplexed together to obtain the bearer for the next higher multiplex level.

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1.2 PDH Multiplexing (2/3)

From hierarchical level 3 upwards, bearers are different in the Japanese and the
American standards. In the Japanese multiplex structure, 5 bearers from level 2 are
multiplexed. Multiplex level 3 therefore contains bearers with a data rate of 32.064
Mbit/s.
On the other hand, bearers at level 3 in the American standard possess a data rate
of 44.736 Mbit/s, because 7 bearers of level 2 are multiplexed. Bearers of level 4 are
formed from 6 bearers of level 3 in the American standard. Level 4, with a data rate
of 274.176 Mbit/s is the highest level of plesiochronous bearers in the American
multiplex structure.
In the Japanese standard, only 3 bearers of level 3 are multiplexed to form one
bearer of level 4 with a data rate of 97.728 Mbit/s. If 4 bearers of level 4 are
multiplexed, a bearer with a data rate of 397.200 Mbit/s will be obtained. A bearer of
this datarate represents the 5th level of plesiochronous signals in the Japanese
multiplex structure.

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1.2 PDH Multiplexing (3/3)

In order to change over between the different multiplex structures, so called

transition multiplexers were created. With their support it's possible, for example to
multiplex 3 bearers of level 1 of the European standard into one bearer of level 2 of
the other two standards.
Another crossover exists between level 3 of the American standard and level 4 of
the European standard. Here it's possible to convert 3 bearers of a data rate of
44.736 Mbit/s to one bearer of 139.264 Mbit/s.

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1.3 Limitations of PDH (1/2)

Each step increase in capacity was made by adding yet another layer of
multiplexing. This was to maintain the large investments made in earlier generations
of plesiochronous transmission equipment.
This has created the situation where each data link has a rigid physical and
electrical multiplexing hierarchy at either end. Once multiplexed, there is no simple
way an individual E1 bearer can be identified, let alone extracted, without fully
demultiplexing down to the E1 level again as shown in the animation.

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1.3 Limitations of PDH (2/2)

Another significant problem of the Plesiochronous Digital Hierarchy (PDH) comes

when bearers have to be transported worldwide. At the borders between the areas
of influence of the different standards, special converters are needed to adapt the
bearer data rates to the corresponding standards. The Plesiochronous Digital
Hierarchy lacks the flexibility we expect from a worldwide operating data
transmission system.

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1.4 Benefits of SDH

These problems led to the creation of a new technology, the Synchronous Digital
Hierarchy (SDH). SDH is based on a worldwide standard. Digitally transmitted
bearers may be transported across borders without changing the transmission
standard. Standardized interfaces allow the connection of different network
elements made by different manufacturers. Additional transmission capacity for
Network Management tasks is also available.
Another important advantage of SDH is the possibility of direct access to the basic
channels. Let's look closer at this access method. The digital signals transported
within a synchronous data stream may be accessed without extensive multiplexing
and demultiplexing procedures. Independent of the data rates, user signals may be
incorporated or extracted directly to or from the data stream.

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1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (1/3)

In order to facilitate the changeover from the plesiochronous to the synchronous

technology, SDH technology allows the insertion of existing plesiochronous network
structures into a synchronous network. To do this, the plesiochronous digital bearers
are packed into predetermined SDH structures. This procedure is called mapping.
The transport units for plesiochronous bearers within the SDH technology are called
Container C. The SDH system define several containers for the plesiochronous
bearers of the different hierarchical levels. If these containers are completed with
additional information, Virtual Containers (VC) are created.

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1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (2/3)

The synchronous transport module is the multiplex frame in SDH. The frame with a
data rate of 155.52 Mbit/s is called Synchronous Transport Module first order (STM1). Higher order transport modules are created by multiplexing several lower order
transport modules.
At this time, transport modules of the first order STM-1, fourth order STM-4 and
sixteenth order STM-16 are in use. An STM-4 module consists of 4 STM-1 modules
and an STM-16 module of 16 STM-1 modules, which are multiplexed together.

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1.5 ITU-T Multiplex Scheme (3/3)

Starting from the American synchronous transmission standard SONET, the

International Standards Body ITU-T defined the SDH multiplex structure. Using
these multiplex structures, plesiochronous digital bearers of different data rates may
be inserted into synchronous transport modules.
Within the ITU-T Multiplexing Scheme, the following multiplexing alternatives are
foreseen: 140 Mbit/s bearers are mapped into the synchronous transport system
using container C-4. Bearers with data rates of 34 Mbit/s or 45 Mbit/s use containers
C-3. If bearers with a 6 Mbit/s data rate should be mapped, a C-2 container will be
used.
Further possibilities exist for 2 Mbit/s bearers via container C-12 and for 1.5 Mbit/s
bearers via container C-11. Using the ITU-T multiplex scheme, every possibility to
map plesiochronous bearers into synchronous data streams is available.

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1.6 ETSI Multiplex Scheme

The European Standard Institute ETSI has defined a multiplex scheme, that only
includes part of the possibilities for mapping plesiochronous bearers into the
synchronous hierarchy. Some of the structures related to American transmission
standards are omitted in the European version. This leads to SDH networks that are
earsier to build and less expensive. The ETSI multiplex scheme is the base for all
following considerations.

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