Layer 1 Traffic Segregation in Optical Transport Networks
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current communication transport networks face inefficiencies due to the need for high switching and routing capacity, power consumption, and cost in Layer 2 and Layer 3 routers, as they process mixed traffic types and require demultiplexing of higher level Layer 1 transport units into lower level units.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method to segregate traffic at Layer 1 transport nodes based on destination and traffic type, mapping traffic into Layer 1 data transport units, and adding identification information to overhead sections to bypass higher layer processing, allowing direct switching and reducing the load on Layer 2 and Layer 3 routers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Layer 2 switches and Layer 3 routers process all L2 and L3 traffic to decide destination routing, then traffic can be correctly routed to destination nodes, but switching/routing capacity, power consumption, footprint and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments traffic processing by introducing Layer 1 data transport units with destination identification that enable routing decisions to be made at Layer 1, separating traffic that needs Layer 2/3 processing from traffic that can be routed directly at Layer 1 based on destination node identification in the transport unit headers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts destination routing information from higher layer protocols and embeds it directly in Layer 1 data transport units, allowing routing decisions to be made without extracting and processing full L2/L3 headers at each node, thus reducing processing load while maintaining routing accuracy
2Reliability
If higher level Layer 1 transport units are demultiplexed into lower level Layer 1 transport units at each node, then traffic can be correctly distributed to destination, but device complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-establishing mappings between Layer 1 data transport units and destination nodes at the ingress node, and pre-configuring switching tables at intermediate nodes, so that traffic can be directly switched without complex demultiplexing operations at each intermediate node
3Reliability
If all traffic is returned to Layer 1 NE from L2 switch/L3 router for forwarding to other nodes, then correct routing is achieved, but interface bit rate requirements and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts traffic that is destined for other nodes from the return path to L2/L3 equipment by using destination-based routing at Layer 1, allowing this traffic to be directly forwarded through the Layer 1 network without being extracted and re-injected at L2/L3 layers, thus improving throughput efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces Layer 1 data transport units with embedded destination identification as an intermediary mechanism that enables direct Layer 1 routing decisions, acting as a mediator between the physical transport layer and higher layer protocols to improve forwarding efficiency
Data Source
AI summary
A Layer 1 transport network, such as an Optical Transport Network (OTN), transports traffic in Layer 1 data transport units. Traffic received at a node of the transport network is mapped to Layer 1 data transport units according to destination such that each Layer 1 data transport unit carries traffic for a particular destination of the transport network. The Layer 1 transport network can carry a plurality of different traffic types and the node can map the received traffic to Layer 1 data transport units according to destination and traffic type. Identification information can be added to an overhead section associated with the Layer 1 data transport unit to indicate at least one of: traffic type and destination of the traffic carried within the data transport unit. At a subsequent node, the Layer 1 data transport units are received and switched such that Layer 1 data transport units carrying traffic destined for other nodes bypass higher layer processing at the node and Layer 1 data transport units carrying traffic destined for the node are switched to a local output of the node.