Synchronization in telecom networks

ITSF 2007

Jean-Loup Ferrant
November 2007, London

All Rights Reserved Alcatel-Lucent 2006, #####

 Network synchronisation history (1)

-PSTN and PDH

-Switches needed synchronisation in order to comply with slip generation specified
in G.822
-Switches used to be synchronised from G.812 clocks (1988)
-Transport of synchronisation was done via 2 Mbit/s signals transported within the
PDH hierarchy, quasi transparently
-The quality of these networks is guaranted by the control of wander that allows
not to over/underflow buffers. These buffers were specified to allow 18 s of
wander without generation a slip

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Network synchronisation history (2)

-SDH
-With SDH, 2 Mbit/s signals transported via VC12 were not anymore suitable for
network synchronisation due to the phase transients of VC12 pointer
justification.
-STM-N was chosen and specified to transport network synchronisation.
-G.803 defines the hierarchical architecture of synchronisation network with
clocks are defined in G.811, G.812 and G.813.
-The respect of these recommendations avoids desynchronisation and allows the
control of jitter and wander , prevents pointer justification and consequent
wander on PDH tributaries

SDH networks have proven over last the 10 years their ability to provide
excellent synchronisation network

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SDH networks

Synchronisation Synchronisation
Layer 1 - Physical
STM-n
STM-n
STM-n STM-n

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SDH could corrupt the old 2 Mbit/s synchronization network

Central Clock

Desynchronised
Pointer jusification
events clock
phase
Mapper / 3700 ns for VC12
Demapper
VC-4, VC-3, VC12
2/34/140 Mbit/s Mapper /
STM-N Demapper
SDH - STM-N 2/34/140 Mbit/s

network VC-4, VC-3, VC12

phase
7400 ns for VC12

35 pointers
1 missing pointer

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2 Mbit/s interfaces
Traffic interface
It is specified to limit the wander at the input of PSTN switches below 18s
This interface is available on a 2 Mbit/s extracted from an SDH VC12
Synchronization interface
It has much better performance, this is the only interface specified in
synchronization networks
This interface is available at the output of SDH SECs
2 Mbit/s interfaces

100
MTIE (s)

10
traffic
synchronization
1

0,1
0,01 1 100 10000

Observation time (seconds)

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 SDH Network Synchronisation
Synchronisation reference chain

This reference chain has been specified in order to maintain jitter and wander within
acceptable limits, as specified in G.825

Synchronisation direction
PRC SEC SEC SEC SSU SEC SEC SSU SEC SEC SSU SEC SEC

1 2 m1 1 1 m2 2 1 mn n 1 m n+1

Maximum numbers according to G.803:

- maximum number of SEC's between 2 SSUs: m1, m2, ... mn+1 < 20

- maximum number of SSU's in a chain: n < 10

- maximum number of SEC's in a chain: 60

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Hierarchical Master-slave solutions

Easy and robust architecture, no timing loop

May lead to long chains of clocks
PRC
: SEC

SSU SSU SSU

SSU SSU

SSU

Main synchronisation paths (normal operation)

Under failure situations the direction indicated by the arrow may be reversed
Standby synchronisation paths
Paths without arrows may be used in either direction, depending on the failure situation

:Network nodes, areas of intra-node synchronisation distribution (examples)

:Transport network, areas of inter-node synchronisation distribution (examples)

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 Distributed architecture

Example with use of GPS receivers

Short chain of clocks
High number of GPS receivers
R ad io d istribu te d P R C , e .g . G P S s ate llite sy stem

PRC

: SEC

RX

SSU RX SSU S SU RX

RX SSU SSU
RX

RX SSU

: R e c eiv er fo r sy nc hro nisa tio n r e fe ren ce s ig n a l

RX

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Hybrid solutions

Each of the 2 architectures, centralised and distributed has its own drawbacks,
and most operators are optimising their synchronization network with a mix of
both architectures.

PRC
1,2,3: Priorities
: SEC

RX 2 1 1
SSU SSU SSU RX
2 3

2 1
SSU 3 SSU
RX

SSU

Main synchronisation paths (normal operation)

Under failure situations the direction indicated by the arrows may be reversed
Standby synchronisation paths
Paths without arrows may be used in either direction, depending on the failure situation

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 SEC (SDH Equipment Clock) and SSU

T3 : 2MHz(2 Mbit/s) input sync. Signals

T4 : 2MHz (2 Mbit/s) output sync. Signals Sel squelch
S
T1 : 2 Mhz derived from STM-N A T4
squelch el
T2 : 2 MHz derived from 2 Mbit/s
C
T0 : 2 MHz station clock Sel
T1 SETS
B T0
T2
T3
SETS: SDH Equipment Timing Source

Using the T1-T4 link allows to synchronize the SEC from the SSU without any risk of
timing loop

SEC SSU

T4 ~
T1

T2
T3 T0

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SSM and synchronisation protection
SSM purpose
y Provide timing traceability
y Indicate the Quality Level of the source of synchronization
SSM definition
y A 4 bit code located in S1 byte of STM-N frame
SSM application
y Generates a DNU code to prevent timing loop
In linear chains and rings and combination of them
In meshed networks with some restrictions
y Provide desynchronisation detection
Restriction
SSM algorithm has been standardized only at the SEC level
It has not yet been defined at the SSU level , for general application

G.811 G.811 G.811

G.811 source
SEC SEC
DNU DNU

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Generalisation of SSM

External Reference 1 External Reference 2

G.811 G.811 1 G.811
1 SEC 2
0 SEC 2 DNU G.811
DNU
2
G.811 G.811
SEC 1
0
DNU
2 G.811
DNU 2
SEC SEC 1
1
G.811
G.811

G.811 G.811
1 G.811
2 1
0 SEC 2 DNU
G.811 G.811 1 SEC
1 SEC2 G.811
0 SEC 2 DNU 0
DNU DNU
2 1 G.811
G.811 G.811
SEC 2
0 G.811 SEC DNU 2
DNU SEC 1G.811
2 G.811 1
DNU 2
SEC SEC 1
1

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Synchronisation of the E1 layer in SDH : retiming

SDH is the sync layer

E1 is floating within the SDH frame, with an asynchronous mapping
E1 is inappropriate to transport synchronization due to VC12 PJE
Sync ref

2 Mbit/s 2 Mbit/s Digital

Digital
switch SDH network switch
Synchro? Synchro?

Solutions
Provide a 2 Mhz/2 Mbit rom an SSU if possible
Implement a retiming function with the 2 Mbit/s desynchroniser

Output clock ((locked

locked to SDH clock
clock))
VC12 clock 2 Mbit clock
Low pass filter buffer
VC12 data 2 Mbit data
2 Mbit/s
desynchroniser retiming
((functional
functional representation
representation))
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Other network synchronization items

WDM systems have been introduced

Pre OTN point-to point WDM systems with proprietary implementation
OTN systems based on G.709

GSM, and later UMTS, generated new requirements for the synchronisation
network.
Rather than Jitter and wander, the frequency accuracy on the air interface is
the key requirement for synchronisation networks

Access
NTR Network Time Reference has been defined to transport timing through
DSL systems, ADSL and SHDSL

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Optical networks

WDM system have been specified to be transparent to client timing

SDH synchronisation network are not jeopardized by WDM, OTN

Synchronisation Synchronisation
Layer 1 - Physical
STM-n
STM-n
STM-n STM-n

FE/FX
Layer 1 Physical SDH
WDM
WDM

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Synchronisation choices for OTN

OTN is plesiochronous
ITU has stated that there is no need for OTN to carry synchronisation, since
there is already one network layer that does it, SDH.
y OTN is transparent to CBR client timing, jitter and wander are specified in G.8251
y Each OTN NE has its own free-running clock within 20 ppm
y OTN is a plesiochronous network
y G.709 specifies justification scheme to adapt client and G.709 frame rate
y All client signal can be within 20 ppm, even with multiplex function
When OTN does not transport SDH client, it couldnot transport timing, but this
might change using new synchronisation methods transported on packet
networks
y Care should be taken that some mappings might not be transparent to timing
transported over Ethernet.

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Mobile Backhauling: Typical TDM Architecture

G.823 PRC
interface Synchronisatio
50ppb n
interface Synchronou
Synchronou
ss
network
network

BTS/ BSC/
MSC
nodeB RNC
TDM TDM

BTS/nodeB locked to a PRC:

TDM generated in a MSC that is locked to a PRC via a synchronisation interface (E1, 2 MHz, STM-N)
BTS/nodeB synchronized on TDM
BSC synchronized on MSC by the TDM traffic signal

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Mobile requirements

In mobile applications, the most important requirement is that the frequency

accuracy on the air interface remains within 50 ppb (red line) in order to
provide handover when a mobile moves from one cell to another one.

2 Mbits interfaces vs 50 ppb

100

10
microseconds

traffic
synchro
50ppb
1

0,1
0,01 0,1 1 10 100 1000 10000 100000
seconds

Requires low clock bandwidth implementation in BTS/ nodeB

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Synchronization in access networks: NTR Network Timing Reference

NTR is a method that transmits an 8kHz timing marker through the ADSL system
has been defined by ITU for DSL products.
It can be implemented on ADSL and SHDSL systems
As an example, the attached figure show the quality of a clock recovered from
a SHDSL system synchronized from a GPS.

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Packet networks
Main issue: PDV might corrupt timing transport :

Layer 2 Metro Ethernet

VCn
GbE
Vc4nv
GbE/FX VC4nv - Packet Ring FE/TX
VCn

Layer 1 - Physical
FE/FX
STM-n
STM-n
STM-n STM-n

FE/FX
Layer 1 Physical SDH FE/FX
WDM
WDM

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 Mobile Backhauling, example with CES

G.823 interface PRC

Synchronisatio
50ppb n
interface Synchronou
Synchronou
ss
network
network
Packet network
I I
BTS/ BSC/
W W MSC
nodeB RNC
TDM F F TDM TDM
CES

BTS/nodeB locked to a PRC:

TDM generated in a MSC that is locked to a PRC via a synchronisation interface (E1, 2 MHz, STM-N)
BSC synchronized on MSC by the TDM traffic signal
BTS/nodeB synchronized on TDM recovered from CES packets

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Packet networks and synchronisation

Transport of TDM payload

CES, Pseudowire
y Adaptive Method, sensitive to PDV
y Differential Method, requires a network reference clock at both ends

Transport of reference timing (time, phase,frequency)

Time Protocols
y Precision Time Protocol (IEEE1588) V2
Several clocks: boundary, and transparents clocks
y Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Synchronous Ethernet
y It has been specified this year by ITU-Tto transport frequency
y It has same performance as SDH and interwork with SDH
y It requires that all NEs in the chain process are Synchronous Ethernet

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Multi-service provisioning platform (MSPP)
An hybrid SDH-Synchronous Ethernet equipment

SEC

STM-N STM-N
TDM
TDM
VC VC

TDM
TDM STM-N
VC PDH
VC
VC VC PDH Eth
STM-64
matrix CES CES
VC
GFP VC
Eth
CES
CES
STM-N
OTN
CES VC

Eth
Eth Packet
Packet
GFP
Packet
Packet network
network
10GBE-WAN
network
network Ethernet Eth
Eth SWITCH

Eth Eth
CES CES

SDH Sync-E CES diff 1588V2

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 Candidate techniques for PSN

Pro Con

CES Pseudowire Adaptive - No specific requirement on Medium quality as PDV sensitive

intermediate equipments

CES Pseudowire Differential -No specific requirement on - Need network ref clock at both end
intermediate equipments points
-Good performance
Synchronous -Excellent quality, similar to SDH - all switches of the link need to
-No influence of payload process the sync Eth feature
Ethernet

IEEE1588TM V2 - good performance -full performance achieved only if all

- Possibility to bypass switches not switches are IEEE1588
Applicable to Telecom
processing 1588
(Expected approval early 2007)
NTP - suits several packet network -Current accuracy too low for TDM
applications applications

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Conclusion

Introduction of packet networks creates a similar situation as that one that

occured when SDH was introduced in PDH networks, corruption of the existing
synchronisation network by a new layer.
VC pointer, 1 byte, was the SDH problem
PDV,x ms, is the packet network problem.

Synchronous ethernet and 1588 V2 will be complementary methods to bring

synchronization in packet networks

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