The Optical Channel Layer
is the highest level layer and interacts directly with the clients
system interface. It also provides the mechanism for transporting the
client's digital signal through into the OTH compliant network. The optical
channel trail from source to sink composes of two distinct
logical signals:
1.The
optical client payload
2.The
optical channel overhead ( the information added by OTH)
To provide for end-to-end networking the following
capabilities are included:
•Optical
Channel connection rearrangement
•Processes
for ensuring the integrity of the information added by the optical channel
– This involves the introduction by OTH standards of bit-error rate
evaluation and FEC (forward error correction)
•Supervisory
features for allowing network level management and control – this
function involves the introduction of OTH standards for provisioning
of connections, quality of service parameter exchange, and link
protection schemes for network survivability
The process required to create an optical channel from
client data signal is:
1.To
create the optical channel from the client’s signal through interfacing
with a transponder/transceiver in order to generate a continuous data
stream that can be modulated onto a carrier wavelength
2.The
generation of management/maintenance signals for the OS overhead
