Abstract: A method of configuring optical network nodes (6a, 6b) between a plurality of Remote Radio Units (4a, 4b) and at least one Baseband Unit (2a, 2b). The method comprises monitoring a bandwidth demand of each Remote Radio Unit (4a, 4b), and calculating a routing configuration of the nodes to connect at least one Remote Radio Unit on a tree arrangement to a said Baseband Unit. The calculating (82) the routing configuration is based on at least one connection requirement between the Remote Radio Units and the Baseband Units and the bandwidth demand of each Remote Radio Unit. The method further comprises dynamically configuring one or more optical network nodes to adapt the routing configuration from a said Remote Radio Unit to a said Baseband Unit, according to the calculated routing configuration.

Abstract: A network node (30) for a radio access network, wherein the network node comprises a switch system (35) configured to switch traffic for a plurality of base stations (3, 5; 8) of the radio access network. The switch system (35) is configured to provide for communication between a remote radio unit (3) and a baseband processing unit (5, 12) of the said plurality of base stations. The switch system (35) is configured to provide for communication between a first base station (8) and a second base station (3, 5) of said plurality of base stations. At least one of the first or second base station is a radio base station (8) comprising baseband processing.

Abstract: A radio manager unit for a radio access network, wherein the radio manager unit is configured to connect to a transport control unit configured to control a transport network between a baseband processing unit and a plurality of remote radio units. The radio manager unit is further configured to connect to a radio control unit configured to control the baseband processing unit. The radio manager unit is further configured to be connected to one or more tenant system of a tenant. The radio manager unit is configured to arrange for resources of the transport network and resources of the baseband processing unit to be configured for use by a said tenant.

Abstract: A switch configured to connect a plurality of remote radio units with a plurality of main units in a radio access network. The switch comprises a first stage comprising one or more first units configured to receive a signal originating from a remote radio unit, and configured to output one or more spectral component having a wavelength. The switch further comprises a central stage configured to receive the one or more optical wavelength, and transfer the spectral component to an output port determined by the wavelength. The switch further comprises a second stage comprising one or more second units configured to receive the one or more spectral component from the central stage and output a signal towards a main unit. The first unit is configured to control the wavelength of the output spectral component such that the spectral component is transferred by the central stage to a selected one of said second units.

Abstract: A transport network (10) is configured to connect a plurality of remote radio units (3) with a plurality of digital units (5) in a radio access network. The transport network comprises an electronic cross-connect (31) common to the plurality of remote radio units and digital units, and a control unit (32) configured to control the electronic cross-connect. The transport network further comprises an optical link (40) between the electronic cross-connect and remote radio units. The electronic cross-connect is a multi-layer switch. The electronic cross-connect is configured to switch data flows between one or more of said plurality of digital units (5) and one or more of said plurality of remote radio units (3).

Abstract: A radio manager unit for a radio access network, wherein the radio manager unit is configured to connect to a transport control unit configured to control a transport network between a baseband processing unit and a plurality of remote radio units. The radio manager unit is further configured to connect to a radio control unit configured to control the baseband processing unit. The radio manager unit is further configured to be connected to one or more tenant system of a tenant. The radio manager unit is configured to arrange for resources of the transport network and resources of the baseband processing unit to be configured for use by a said tenant.

Abstract: A network node (30) for a radio access network, wherein the network node comprises a switch system (35) configured to switch traffic for a plurality of base stations (3, 5; 8) of the radio access network. The switch system (35) is configured to provide for communication between a remote radio unit (3) and a baseband processing unit (5, 12) of the said plurality of base stations. The switch system (35) is configured to provide for communication between a first base station (8) and a second base station (3, 5) of said plurality of base stations. At least one of the first or second base station is a radio base station (8) comprising baseband processing.

Abstract: A transport network (10) is configured to connect a plurality of remote radio units (3) with a plurality of digital units (5) in a radio access network. The transport network comprises an electronic cross-connect (31) common to the plurality of remote radio units and digital units, and a control unit (32) configured to control the electronic cross-connect. The transport network further comprises an optical link (40) between the electronic cross-connect and remote radio units. The electronic cross-connect is a multi-layer switch. The electronic cross-connect is configured to switch data flows between one or more of said plurality of digital units (5) and one or more of said plurality of remote radio units (3).

Abstract: A switch configured to connect a plurality of remote radio units with a plurality of main units in a radio access network. The switch comprises a first stage comprising one or more first units configured to receive a signal originating from a remote radio unit, and configured to output one or more spectral component having a wavelength. The switch further comprises a central stage configured to receive the one or more optical wavelength, and transfer the spectral component to an output port determined by the wavelength. The switch further comprises a second stage comprising one or more second units configured to receive the one or more spectral component from the central stage and output a signal towards a main unit. The first unit is configured to control the wavelength of the output spectral component such that the spectral component is transferred by the central stage to a selected one of said second units.

Abstract: A method for determining required routes through an Ether based network associated with VLANs by determining a set of spanning trees. The set of spanning trees is determined to provide a number of routes for consideration. Each spanning tree comprising a plurality of links, sorts the VLANs into an order based on one or more VLAN criteria for the network topology, and maps the sorted VLANs onto the set of spanning trees in an order to optimise one or more characteristics relating to the combination of spanning tree and VLAN to determine an optimised VLAN tree mapping for each set of spanning trees for each route. A best primary tree for each route is selected. Possible failures for each link in the best primary tree for each route are analyzed to derive for a backup tree optimised to determine one or more best backup trees in the event of a possible failure.

Abstract: A method for determining routing for data which is to be transmitted over a multilayer network, the network comprising a first layer of nodes, and a second layer of nodes, and the method comprising determining routing by taking account of available signal transmission/processing resource associated with the first layer and available signal transmission/processing resource associated with the second layer.

Abstract: A method of configuring optical network nodes (6a, 6b) between a plurality of Remote Radio Units (4a, 4b) and at least one Baseband Unit (2a, 2b). The method comprises monitoring a bandwidth demand of each Remote Radio Unit (4a, 4b), and calculating a routing configuration of the nodes to connect at least one Remote Radio Unit on a tree arrangement to a said Baseband Unit. The calculating (82) the routing configuration is based on at least one connection requirement between the Remote Radio Units and the Baseband Units and the bandwidth demand of each Remote Radio Unit. The method further comprises dynamically configuring one or more optical network nodes to adapt the routing configuration from a said Remote Radio Unit to a said Baseband Unit, according to the calculated routing configuration.

Abstract: A packet forwarding node of a transport network performs a first packet forwarding mode in which received packets are processed and forwarded on a per-packet basis. The forwarding node performs a second packet forwarding mode when the node identifies a group of consecutive packets. The group of packets are destined for the same destination node of the transport network. The second packet forwarding mode comprises determining a forwarding treatment for the group of packets and forwarding the group of packets with the determined treatment. The forwarding is performed without processing the headers of at least some of the packets in the group. The group of consecutive packets is identified by a control packet preceding the group or by inter-packet signalling which indicates that the packet before the inter-packet signalling and the packet after the inter-packet signalling are to be treated as part of the same group.

Abstract: An optical communications network node (10) comprising an optical transmitter module (16), an optical receiver module (12), an electrical cross-point switch (20) and control apparatus (24, 26). The optical transmitter module (16) comprises optical sources (18) each having a different operating wavelength and each being selectively assignable as an optical circuit switching channel source or an optical burst switching channel source. The optical receiver module (12) comprises a said plurality of optical detectors each operable at one of said operating wavelengths. The electrical cross-point switch (20) comprises switch paths (22) and is configurable to allocate a first set of switch paths for optical circuit switching and a second set of switch paths for optical burst switching.

Abstract: A packet forwarding node of a transport network performs a first packet forwarding mode in which received packets are processed and forwarded on a per-packet basis. The forwarding node performs a second packet forwarding mode when the node identifies a group of consecutive packets. The group of packets are destined for the same destination node of the transport network. The second packet forwarding mode comprises determining a forwarding treatment for the group of packets and forwarding the group of packets with the determined treatment. The forwarding is performed without processing the headers of at least some of the packets in the group. The group of consecutive packets is identified by a control packet preceding the group or by inter-packet signalling which indicates that the packet before the inter-packet signalling and the packet after the inter-packet signalling are to be treated as part of the same group.

Abstract: An optical communications network node (10) comprising an optical transmitter module (16), an optical receiver module (12), an electrical cross-point switch (20) and control apparatus (24, 26). The optical transmitter module (16) comprises optical sources (18) each having a different operating wavelength and each being selectively assignable as an optical circuit switching channel source or an optical burst switching channel source. The optical receiver module (12) comprises a said plurality of optical detectors each operable at one of said operating wavelengths. The electrical cross-point switch (20) comprises switch paths (22) and is configurable to allocate a first set of switch paths for optical circuit switching and a second set of switch paths for optical burst switching.

Abstract: A method for determining routing for data which is to be transmitted over a multilayer network, the network comprising a first layer of nodes, and a second layer of nodes, and the method comprising determining routing by taking account of available signal transmission/processing resource associated with the first layer and available signal transmission/processing resource associated with the second layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for routing data packets across a multi-layer network which includes a plurality of nodes, a logical level provided with a plurality of logical links and a physical level provided with a plurality of physical links, each of the logical links corresponding to at least one of the physical links, the method comprising the steps of assigning a weight to each logical link with respect to a first critical constraint in the logical level, refining the weight assigned to each logical link with respect to a second critical constraint in the physical level and, based on the weights assigned to each link, computing a path at the logical level connecting a start node to an end node for the transport of the data packets.

Abstract: A method for determining required routes through an Ether based network associated with VLANs by determining a set of spanning trees. The set of spanning trees is determined to provide a number of routes for consideration. Each spanning tree comprising a plurality of links, sorts the VLANs into an order based on one or more VLAN criteria for the network topology, and maps the sorted VLANs onto the set of spanning trees in an order to optimise one or more characteristics relating to the combination of spanning tree and VLAN to determine an optimised VLAN tree mapping for each set of spanning trees for each route. A best primary tree for each route is selected. Possible failures for each link in the best primary tree for each route are analyzed to derive for a backup tree optimised to determine one or more best backup trees in the event of a possible failure.

Abstract: A method is provided for routing data packets across a multi-layer network which includes a plurality of nodes, a logical level provided with a plurality of logical links and a physical level provided with a plurality of physical links, each of the logical links corresponding to at least one of the physical links, the method comprising the steps of assigning a weight to each logical link with respect to a first critical constraint in the logical level, refining the weight assigned to each logical link with respect to a second critical constraint in the physical level and, based on the weights assigned to each link, computing a path at the logical level connecting a start node to an end node for the transport of the data packets.