Abstract: An apparatus comprising encryption logic that provides security for fiber-based communications may be implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A data super frame is created by the encryption logic to comprise two or more data frames. Each of the data frames contains a payload portion. The encryption logic may receive one or more data payloads that are associated with a client signal. Using a single set of security control parameters, the encryption logic encrypts and stores a different encrypted payload in a payload portion of a different frame of the data frames in the data super frame. Instead of storing the set of security control parameters in a single data frame, the encryption logic stores the set of security control parameters in different sets of unused bytes associated with at least two different frames of the data frames.

Abstract: Synchronization techniques for multiple clock domains from two or more clients or common pluggable interfaces connected to multiple interfaces on one or more ingress line cards to multiple interfaces on one or more egress line cards are provided. The plurality of clock domain information from the clients that are connected on the ingress side is transmitted to the egress line cards. Two or more egress interfaces generate different clocks that are synchronized to the multiple clock domains.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include receiving, from an optical transmitter, an optical signal that includes information. In some embodiments, the method may include encapsulating at least a portion of the received information into an Ethernet packet. In various embodiments, the method may include associating a control word with the Ethernet packet. In such an embodiment, the control word may include a status portion that indicates a status of at least a portion of the network including the networking apparatus, and an ordinal number configured to facilitate the re-construction of the information included by the optical signal. In various embodiments, the method may include transmitting the Ethernet packet to a networking apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a plurality of queues, wherein each queue is configured to receive a respective data stream. The apparatus may also include a multiplexer configured to time division multiplex the data streams into a combined data stream and a Generic Framing Procedure-Transparent (GFP-T) frame constructor configured to create a GFP-T frame. The GFP-T frame may include a payload portion. The payload portion may include a payload data portion including a subsection of the combined data stream, and a payload header portion indicating the occurrence of a data stream signal failure. The apparatus may also include a transmitter configured to transmit the GFP-T frame via an optical link.

Abstract: According to another general aspect, an apparatus may include a receiver, a decoding engine, an envelope generator, an error code generator, and a transmitter. In one embodiment, the receiver may be configured to receive an Ethernet packet that includes a payload portion. In various embodiments, the decoding engine may be configured to decode at least the payload portion of the Ethernet packet such that the size of the payload portion is reduced. In some embodiments, the envelope generator may be configured to encapsulate the payload portion such that packet boundaries may be identified. In various embodiments, the error code generator may be configured to associate an error correction code with the encapsulated payload portion. In another embodiment, the transmitter may be configured to transmit the encapsulated payload and error correction code.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficiently allowing protection switch information to be communicated on bidirectional lines are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for communicating protection switch information from a first network element to a second network element across bidirectional links that include at least one working line and a protection line involves obtaining a generic framing procedure GFP frame at the first network element. The GFP frame has a payload area with a client payload field. The method also includes defining a command field associated with the GFP frame that is in the payload area but not in the client payload field, and storing protection switch information in the command field.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method includes receiving a plurality of signals at a plurality of ports, each of the signals having a protocol type; mapping each of the signals to one or more time slots of one of a plurality of Low Order Optical Transport Network (OTN) containers; mapping the Low Order OTN containers to a High Order OTN container; mapping the High Order OTN container to a High Order OTN envelope for communication over an OTN; and, in connection with the mapping of the High Order OTN container to the High Order OTN envelope, for each of the signals, inserting into the High Order OTN envelope information identifying the port that the signal was received at, the protocol type of the signal, the Low Order OTN container that the signal was mapped to, and one or more of the time slots that the signal was mapped to.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method includes receiving a constant bit rate data stream, segmenting the constant bit rate data stream into fixed size blocks of data, generating a time stamp indicative of a system reference clock, the time stamp being in reference to a clock rate of the constant bit rate data stream, encapsulating, in an electronic communication protocol frame, a predetermined number of fixed blocks of data along with (i) a control word indicative of, at least, a relative sequence of the predetermined number of fixed blocks of data in the constant bit rate stream and (ii) the time stamp, and transmitting the electronic communication protocol frame to a packet switched network.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a SONET/SDH over Ethernet demapping point utilizes a pointer offset mechanism for clock recovery and timing. The pointer offset is determined by the difference between a client clock and a reference clock.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, transporting Optical Data Units in an Optical Transport Network comprises receiving a first frame of a first type that includes second frames of a second type. Each second frame is associated with a signal having a client clock rate, and at least two second frames are associated with at least two signals with different client clock rates. The following is repeated for each second frame: determining a client clock rate of the signal associated with the second frame; and inserting clock justification information into the second frame. The clock justification information indicates how to justify the client clock rate of the second frame to synchronize the client clock rate with a system reference clock rate.

Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include receiving, from an optical transmitter, an optical signal that includes information. In some embodiments, the method may include encapsulating at least a portion of the received information into an Ethernet packet. In various embodiments, the method may include associating a control word with the Ethernet packet. In such an embodiment, the control word may include a status portion that indicates a status of at least a portion of the network including the networking apparatus, and an ordinal number configured to facilitate the re-construction of the information included by the optical signal. In various embodiments, the method may include transmitting the Ethernet packet to a networking apparatus.

Abstract: According to another general aspect, an apparatus may include a receiver, a decoding engine, an envelope generator, an error code generator, and a transmitter. In one embodiment, the receiver may be configured to receive an Ethernet packet that includes a payload portion. In various embodiments, the decoding engine may be configured to decode at least the payload portion of the Ethernet packet such that the size of the payload portion is reduced. In some embodiments, the envelope generator may be configured to encapsulate the payload portion such that packet boundaries may be identified. In various embodiments, the error code generator may be configured to associate an error correction code with the encapsulated payload portion. In another embodiment, the transmitter may be configured to transmit the encapsulated payload and error correction code.

Abstract: Transport network interfaces operate to transport for Optical Transport Unit frames over an Optical Transport Network. Besides FEC bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames, the transmitting transport network interface provides sequences of error-determining bits for the Optical Transport Unit frames sent on working and protection communications channels. There is at least one sequence for each Optical Transport Unit frame, the number of bits in the at least one sequence much smaller than the number of bits in the Optical Transport Unit frame. The receiving transport network interface determines the bit error rates for the working and protection channels from the sequences of error-determining bits without decoding said Forward Error Correction bits and can select the working and protection channels accordingly.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data words and ordered sets in a Fibre Channel data stream are formed into a group and the ordered sets are moved to the beginning word positions of the group. The ordered sets are encoded so that a control character in the first byte of the ordered set is replaced with a control code byte encoding the original location of the ordered set in the group, the identity of the control character replaced by the control code byte, and whether the following word is an ordered set.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficiently allowing protection switch information to be communicated on bidirectional lines are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for communicating protection switch information from a first network element to a second network element across bidirectional links that include at least one working line and a protection line involves obtaining a generic framing procedure GFP frame at the first network element. The GFP frame has a payload area with a client payload field. The method also includes defining a command field associated with the GFP frame that is in the payload area but not in the client payload field, and storing protection switch information in the command field.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for efficiently allowing protection switch information to be communicated on bidirectional lines are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for communicating protection switch information from a first network element to a second network element across bidirectional links that include at least one working line and a protection line involves obtaining a generic framing procedure GFP frame at the first network element. The GFP frame has a payload area with a client payload field. The method also includes defining a command field associated with the GFP frame that is in the payload area but not in the client payload field, and storing protection switch information in the command field.

Abstract: In one embodiment, data words and ordered sets in a Fibre Channel data stream are formed into a group and the ordered sets are moved to the beginning word positions of the group. The ordered sets are encoded so that a control character in the first byte of the ordered set is replaced with a control code byte encoding the original location of the ordered set in the group, the identity of the control character replaced by the control code byte, and whether the following word is an ordered set.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a SONET/SDH over Ethernet demapping point utilizes a pointer offset mechanism for clock recovery and timing. The pointer offset is determined by the difference between a client clock and a reference clock.

Abstract: A method and system for encapsulating a frame for transport over an optical transport network are disclosed. A method includes receiving a packet at a network device and encapsulating the packet. The packet is received from a network having a line frequency different than a payload frequency of the optical transport network and the encapsulated packet is configured for transport directly over the optical transport network without modification to compensate for the different frequencies.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allowing containers in an optical transport network to be shared between users are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a first network element that is a part of an optical transport network includes a frame generator and an output arrangement. The frame generator creates a frame with a fixed stuff area that includes a first set of bits that provide channel identification information, a second set of bits that provide justification information, and a third set of bits that indicate either or both payload type information and client signal fail information. The output arrangement places the frame within a container for transport through the optical transport network. The bandwidth of the container is arranged to be utilized by a plurality of network elements including the first network element.