Optical Networking

Cswitch Solutions for Next–Generation Optical Networking

Optical networking gear is trending toward convergence: specifically, the convergence of various wavelength, TDM, and packet technologies into the same single-chassis footprint. OTN standardization of optical interfaces, packet-based switching and transport, and the integration of WDM, ROADM, SONET/SDH, MSPP and Carrier Ethernet functionality into unified network devices are all serving to reduce total cost of ownership for carriers and service providers by making the optical MAN and WAN universally interoperable.

The continued evolution of optical networking equipment demands silicon solutions that perform at the highest possible bandwidth and with the highest levels of configurability -- to translate, process, and transport the various payloads and protocols present inside these chassis.

Cswitch’s Configurable Switch Array (CSA) offers the highest processing bandwidth of any hardware-configurable solution on the market, and can lower OEM / operator costs and cycle time by implementing a multitude of transport interfaces and technologies across optical line cards using the same silicon footprint. The CSA can be deployed for a wide range of optical networking functions, including 40G/100G transponder signal processing, Forward Error Correction (FEC), OTU-n framing, Packet-over-SONET framing, next-gen Carrier Ethernet MAC, Network processing & classification, and Fabric Interface Management.

Below we highlight two emerging link-layer applications of the CSA in next-gen optical networks: (i) MAC termination for 40-Gigabit-Ethernet and 100-Gigabit-Ethernet optical line cards; and (ii) 10GPON (10G Passive Optical Network) MAC termination in Optical Line Terminals.

Next-Generation Ethernet: 40GbE and 100GbE MAC Prototype

• CSA Solution Capabilities
  • Single-chip 40GbE or 100GbE full-duplex MAC
  • Bridge between 40G / 100G PMD interface (MLD) and 40G / 100G serial packet interface (Interlaken)
  • Complete implementation of PCS, gearbox, lane alignment, scrambling, framing, CRC, and MAC layers
  • Per-frame and per-lane CRC32 running at >100Gbps using Cswitch RAUs
  • Low LUT footprint
  • Optional OTU-n framer and NPU pre-classifier / load-balancer

N x 10GPON OLT MAC

• CSA Solution Capabilities
• Up to 4 x 10G PON MAC downstream (4 x 2.5G upstream) integrated in single CSA
• Integrated FEC encode and decode (RS 255,239,8)
• Downstream MAC processing
  • 10GbE ingress MAC & header parsing using PacketParsers à Dest. Address and VLAN Port mapping
  • AES-CTR encryption using RAUs
  • Up to 4K PortIDs and 4K AllocIDs
  • GEM fragmentation and header insert
  • Muxing between GEM, PLOAM, embedded OAM, and OMCI frame sources
  • BIP-8 insert and scrambling
• Upstream MAC Processing
  • Descramble & FEC decode
  • Frame Parsing & GEM delineate
  • AllocID Filter and Port PTI Filter
  • GEM De-fragmentation
  • 10GbE egress MA

For additional information on CSA example benchmarks and reference designs for Carrier Ethernet applications, please contact Cswitch Sales.

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