Procedure, comprehensive: Receiving a
data stream generated by a preceding network node at an intermediate network node, wherein the received
data stream includes a constant
bit rate carrier
data stream (CBR carrier data
stream) corresponding to constant
bit rate signals (CBR signals) received at a source node; Sampling a counter that accumulates a
Physical Layer (
PHY) scaled data
stream clock (IPSCk) with a nominal sampling period (Tps) of a local reference
clock of the intermediate network node to obtain a cumulative
PHY scaled count (CPSC) of the received respective data
stream, wherein the IPSCk is generated by scaling a
clock recovered from the received respective data stream to a predetermined
nominal frequency (Fipsc_nom); Calculating a
PHY-scaled stream
phase offset (PSPO) that specifies the
phase difference between a PHY-scaled nominal stream bit count (LPSD) and an incoming PHY-scaled count
delta (IPSD), where the IPSD specifies an increment between successive CPSCs; Demultiplexing the received data stream to obtain the CBR carrier data streams, each of the CBR carrier data streams including a cumulative
phase offset report of preceding network nodes (CPOR-P) indicating a cumulative
phase offset of the preceding network node (CPO-P) and a
client rate report (CRR) indicating a measured bit count of a respective CBR
client at the source node; Calculating a cumulative phase shift (CPO) for each of the CBR carrier data streams, which depends on the CPO-P for the respective CBR carrier data stream and on the calculated PSPO; Replacing CPO-P in each of the CBR carrier data streams with the calculated CPO for the respective CBR carrier data stream, or a function of the calculated CPO for the respective CBR carrier data stream, to generate an updated CPOR instead of the CPOR-P in the respective CBR carrier data stream;
multiplexing the CBR carrier data streams into data streams of intermediate network nodes; and Transferring the data streams of the intermediate network nodes from the respective intermediate network node.