Procedure, apparatus, and computer program for reducing a probability of fragmentation when supporting virtual concatenation (VCAT) services
A procedure, apparatus, system, and medium for transferring traffic across a packet network. In the procedure, a network element bundles a plurality of common (Synchronous Transport Signal) STS-Nc services included in a virtual concatenation group. The network element then transfers the traffic in accordance with the bundled plurality of STS-Nc services. In one example embodiment herein, the plurality of STS-Nc services are STS- 1 services, and each bundle of STS- 1 services is aligned to a timeslot boundary of an STS- 3 c service.
1. A procedure for transferring traffic across a packet network, comprising:
bundling from a first circuit a plurality of common (Synchronous Transport Signal) STS-N (N being a positive integer) services into groups, the plurality of common STS-N services being included in a virtual concatenation group, wherein in a case that there are remaining STS-N services after bundling the STS-N services from the first circuit, the remaining STS-N services are packed together with other remaining STS-N services from other circuits; and
transferring the traffic in accordance with the bundled groups of STS-N services.
2. The procedure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of STS-N services are STS- 1 services, and each bundled group of STS- 1 services is aligned to a timeslot boundary of an STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) service.
3. The procedure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a data service of the packet network is supported by STS- 1 services or STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) services; and
if it is determined that STS- 1 services are supported, bundling the STS- 1 services of the virtual concatenation group into groups of a predetermined quantity.
4. The procedure according to claim 3 , wherein the predetermined quantity is three (3).
5. The procedure according to claim 3 , wherein if it is determined that STS- 3 c services are supported, checking an availability of bandwidth and an alignment of the STS- 3 c services.
6. The procedure according to claim 5 , further comprising, based on the checking, if there is available STS- 3 c bandwidth and there is alignment provided for the STS- 3 c services, using the STS- 3 c services to transfer the traffic in the transferring.
7. The procedure according to claim 5 , further comprising, based on the checking, if there is available STS- 3 c bandwidth but there is fragmentation with respect to the alignment of the STS- 3 c services, creating consecutive timeslots aligned to a STS- 3 c boundary using STS- 1 services, and using newly created STS- 3 c services to transfer the traffic in the transferring.
8. An apparatus for transferring traffic across a packet network, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and
a memory coupled to the at least one processor to store instructions such that the at least one processor is arranged to bundle from a first circuit a plurality of common (Synchronous Transport Signal) STS-N (N being a positive integer) services into groups, the plurality of common STS-N services being included in a virtual concatenation group, wherein in a case that there are remaining STS-N services after bundling the STS-N services from the first circuit, the at least one processor packs the remaining STS-N services together with other remaining STS-N services from other circuits, and
wherein the at least one processor is further arranged to transfer the traffic in accordance with the bundled groups of STS-N services.
9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of STS-N services are STS- 1 services, and the at least one processor aligns each bundled group of STS- 1 services to a timeslot boundary of an STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) service.
10. The apparatus according to claim 8 , the at least one processor being further arranged to determine whether a data service of the packet network is supported by STS- 1 services or STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) services, and if it is determined that STS- 1 services are supported, bundle the STS- 1 services of the virtual concatenation group into groups of a predetermined quantity.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined quantity is three (3).
12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein if it is determined that STS- 3 c services are supported, the at least one processor checks an availability of bandwidth and an alignment of the STS- 3 c services.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, based on the checking, if there is available STS- 3 c bandwidth and there is alignment provided for the STS- 3 c services, then the at least one processor uses the STS- 3 c services to transfer the traffic in the transferring.
14. The apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein, based on the checking, if there is available STS- 3 c bandwidth but there is fragmentation with respect to the alignment of the STS- 3 c services, then the at least one processor uses STS- 1 services to create consecutive timeslots aligned to a STS- 3 c boundary, and uses newly created STS- 3 c services to transfer the traffic in the transferring.
15. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium on which is stored computer-executable process steps for causing an apparatus for transferring traffic across a packet network to perform the following:
bundle from a first circuit a plurality of common (Synchronous Transport Signal) STS-N (N being a positive integer) services included in a virtual concatenation group, wherein in a case that there are remaining STS-N services after bundling the STS-N services from the first circuit, the remaining STS-N services are packed together with other remaining STS-N services from other circuits; and
transfer the traffic in accordance with the bundled plurality of STS-N services.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein the plurality of STS-N services are STS- 1 services, and each bundle of STS- 1 services is aligned to a timeslot boundary of an STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) service.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15 , wherein the process steps further comprise steps for causing the apparatus to determine whether a data service of the packet network is supported by STS- 1 services or STS- 3 c (c standing for concatenation) services, and if it is determined that STS- 1 services are supported, bundle the STS- 1 services of the virtual concatenation group into groups of a predetermined quantity.