Abstract: A method for passing communications over an Optical Transport Network (OTN) from a first communication interface to a second communication interface. The first interface extracts characters from received data symbols, maps the characters into OTN communication frames and discards the synchronization symbols. The mapping is performed using a Bit-synchronous Mapping Procedure (BMP), while filling some locations in the OTN frames with stuffing characters, so that the rate of the characters matches a desired rate of the OTN communication frames. The characters are extracted from the communication frames in the second communication interface by synchronizing to the mapped input frames independently of the synchronization symbols. The input frames are reconstructed to produce reconstructed input frames including the data symbols and the synchronization symbols, by re-encoding the extracted characters. In some embodiments, data from Ethernet frames is passed along with the extracted characters in the OTN frames.

Abstract: A method for communication includes receiving in a first communication interface input frames, which include data symbols that were derived by encoding respective characters, and further include one or more synchronization symbols having no corresponding characters. The characters from the data symbols are recovered, and the recovered characters are transmitted to a second communication interface by mapping the characters into communication frames and discarding the synchronization symbols. The characters are extracted from the communication frames in the second communication interface by synchronizing to the input frames independently of the synchronization symbols. The input frames are reconstructed in the second communication interface, including the data symbols and the synchronization symbols, by re-encoding the extracted characters.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a data flow circuit and a clock recovery circuit. The data flow circuit is configured to extract client data, which is encapsulated in an inner frame that is encapsulated in at least an outer frame, and to output the extracted client data in accordance with a client clock signal. The clock recovery circuit includes a first clock recovery module that is configured to recover a first clock signal that matches payload data in the outer frame, and a second clock recovery module that is configured to derive from the first clock signal a second clock signal that matches the client data in the inner frame, and to produce the client clock signal from the second clock signal, for use by the data flow circuit.

Abstract: A method for communication includes generating in a transmitter a sequence of data packets for transmission to a receiver. Control packets are inserted into the sequence in the transmitter, such that a given control packet is indicative of a count of the data packets that are transmitted in a time interval that ends with a previous control packet that precedes the given control packet. The sequence, including the data packets and the inserted control packets, is transmitted to the receiver.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes at least one input port, multiple output ports, at least one Serial-to-Parallel (S/P) converter and at least one Parallel-to-Serial (P/S) converter. The S/P converter is operative to receive from the input port an input data stream that is to be cross-connected to a destination output port, and to separate the input data stream into multiple sub-streams. Each of the switching planes includes at least one input for receiving a respective sub-stream from the S/P converter; multiple outputs, each output associated with a respective one of the output ports; and switching circuitry, which is configured to switch the respective sub-stream to the output that is associated with the destination output port. The P/S converter is coupled to the outputs of the switching planes so as to combine the multiple sub-streams switched by the switching circuitry into a combined output data stream at the destination output port.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes at least one input port, multiple output ports, at least one Serial-to-Parallel (S/P) converter and at least one Parallel-to-Serial (P/S) converter. The S/P converter is operative to receive from the input port an input data stream that is to be cross-connected to a destination output port, and to separate the input data stream into multiple sub-streams. Each of the switching planes includes at least one input for receiving a respective sub-stream from the S/P converter; multiple outputs, each output associated with a respective one of the output ports; and switching circuitry, which is configured to switch the respective sub-stream to the output that is associated with the destination output port. The P/S converter is coupled to the outputs of the switching planes so as to combine the multiple sub-streams switched by the switching circuitry into a combined output data stream at the destination output port.