RFC 2615 (rfc2615) - Page 2 of 10


PPP over SONET/SDH



Alternative Format: Original Text Document



RFC 2615                  PPP over SONET/SDH                   June 1999


1.  Introduction

   PPP was designed as a standard method of communicating over
   point-to-point links.  Initial deployment has been over short local
   lines, leased lines, and plain-old-telephone-service (POTS) using
   modems.  As new packet services and higher speed lines are introduced,
   PPP is easily deployed in these environments as well.

   This specification is primarily concerned with the use of the PPP
   encapsulation over SONET/SDH links.  Since SONET/SDH is by definition
   a point-to-point circuit, PPP is well suited to use over these links.

   Real differences between SONET and SDH (other than terminology) are
   minor; for the purposes of encapsulation of PPP over SONET/SDH, they
   are inconsequential or irrelevant.

   For the convenience of the reader, we list the equivalent terms below:

       SONET                   SDH
   ---------------------------------------------
   SPE                         VC
   STS-SPE                     Higher Order VC (VC-3/4/4-Nc)
   STS-1 frame                 STM-0 frame (rarely used)
   STS-1-SPE                   VC-3
   STS-1 payload               C-3
   STS-3c frame                STM-1 frame, AU-4
   STS-3c-SPE                  VC-4
   STS-3c payload              C-4
   STS-12c/48c/192c frame      STM-4/16/64 frame, AU-4-4c/16c/64c
   STS-12c/48c/192c-SPE        VC-4-4c/16c/64c
   STS-12c/48c/192c payload    C-4-4c/16c/64c

   The only currently supported SONET/SDH SPE/VCs are the following:

       SONET                   SDH
   ----------------------------------------
   STS-3c-SPE                  VC-4
   STS-12c-SPE                 VC-4-4c
   STS-48c-SPE                 VC-4-16c
   STS-192c-SPE                VC-4-64c

   The keywords MUST, MUST NOT, MAY, OPTIONAL, REQUIRED, RECOMMENDED,
   SHALL, SHALL NOT, SHOULD, and SHOULD NOT are to be interpreted as
   defined in [6].







Malis & Simpson             Standards Track