Core Network Transport Technologies

Next generation networks will be deployed with high speed, high quality broadband DSL access capable of using flexible coding techniques. Multi-Service Access Nodes will carry services to Intelligent Nodes closer to the core where services will be located and then on to the network core using MPLS. The access is likely eventually to evolve into an all Ethernet service and the range of services carriers must deliver, will need to be carried over existing SDH services.

This course aims to provide an understanding of how these new services can be carried over SDH and how SDH is being enhanced to provide new capabilities to deliver the services in a flexible efficient manner. It will provide a detailed understanding for implementers, designers, managers and infrastructure engineers that need to plan, implement and use the new generation of networks and services.

The next generation of telecommunications networks will deliver broadband data and multimedia services to users. The Ethernet interface is becoming the interface of preference for user computers, IP Phones, Digital IP Television and network servers within the network itself. The network infrastructure will deliver these high performance IP services over Switched infrastructures deployed using Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS).

MPLS is a radically new approach to delivering IP services and must be built on an IP routed infrastructure. 

However by deploying switching hardware it becomes possible to deliver quality of service by bypassing queues in routing functions and switching essentially in OSI layer 2. Once constructed MPLS networks can be used to deliver emulation services to provide customers with more traditional circuits provisioned over interfaces such as E1, Frame Relay, ATM and STM1 which in reality are provided emulated over MPLS running over Gigabit Ethernet infrastructures.