Optical Switching Node Container Aggregation for Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current optical data transmission systems, particularly Ethernet, lack error correction, monitoring, and recovery capabilities for long-distance transport, and require encapsulation to support Forward Error Correction (FEC), leading to inefficiencies and increased vertical interface capacity due to the need for point-to-point connections and lack of multicast or broadcast support in transport networks.
Innovation Solution
A method for transmitting data packets through an optical transmission network that aggregates multiple data packets in a container, using a container header with destination information and a payload portion that includes client data packets, allowing for real-time processing and updating of FEC information to optimize resource usage and reduce decoding effort, enabling efficient transmission and aggregation of data packets.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Ethernet packets are encapsulated in transport containers at upstream nodes and decoded at downstream nodes, then long-distance transmission with error correction is enabled, but vertical interface capacity increases and packet-transfer delay increases due to complete decoding at each intermediate node
Solution Approach 1:
The container structure is segmented into a header portion and a payload portion. The header contains routing information that can be decoded independently to determine the destination node, while the payload contains the actual data packets. This segmentation allows intermediate nodes to decode only the header (not the entire container), reducing vertical interface capacity and processing delay while maintaining end-to-end error correction capability through selective FEC application.
2Stability of the object's composition
If transport networks use fixed point-to-point connections, then long-haul transmission stability is achieved, but flexibility and adaptability to changing traffic patterns are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic container aggregation where multiple data packets from different sources destined for the same destination node are aggregated into a single container at intermediate nodes. The container header is updated in real-time to reflect the aggregated payload. This dynamic approach allows the network to adapt to changing traffic patterns while maintaining stable point-to-point physical connections, as containers can be re-aggregated at different intermediate nodes based on current traffic demands.
Solution Approach 2:
The container structure serves multiple functions: it provides error correction for long-distance transmission, carries routing information in the header, and enables dynamic aggregation of multiple data packets. The same container infrastructure supports both stable point-to-point transmission and flexible traffic adaptation through header-based routing and aggregation, making the system universally applicable to various traffic patterns without requiring dedicated connections for each flow.
3Ease of operation
If complete container decoding is performed at each intermediate node, then accurate forwarding decisions can be made, but decoding effort and processing time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The routing information is extracted and placed in the container header, separate from the payload data packets. Intermediate nodes only decode the header portion to obtain destination information and make forwarding decisions, without decoding the entire container payload. This extraction principle reduces decoding effort and processing time at intermediate nodes while maintaining accurate forwarding decisions based on the decoded header information.
4Reliability
If FEC is applied to each individual Ethernet frame, then error correction efficiency is maximized, but frame size requirements increase beyond standard Ethernet packet limits
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple Ethernet data packets are merged and aggregated into a single container payload. Forward Error Correction is then applied to the entire aggregated payload rather than to each individual Ethernet frame. This merging approach allows FEC to operate on larger data blocks, improving error correction efficiency while keeping individual Ethernet packet sizes within standard limits. The container structure enables this by providing a larger encapsulation boundary that can hold multiple frames.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present document relates to a method for transmitting client data packets through an optical transmission network comprising multiple nodes, comprising: - receiving (705) a first container (200) at a node (110a, 110b, 110c), the first container comprising a container header (210) and a container payload portion (220), wherein the container header (210) comprises at least information regarding a destination node of the first container (200) and wherein the container payload portion (220) includes a data portion comprising information associated with one or more client data packets, said data portion being directed to the destination node of the first container (200), the container header (210) further comprising occupancy information indicative of the space occupied by the data portion in the container payload portion (220) or about free space in the container payload portion (220); - determining (740) whether free space is available in the container payload portion (220) for carrying a further data portion); - providing the further data portion, the further data portion comprising information associated with further client data packets being directed to the destination node of the first container (200); and - transmitting (760), in the optical domain, a second container (220) comprising a container header (210) including updated occupancy information and a container payload portion (220) including the data portions.