PTN Technology and Application Development

The Technology Features of PTN

Packet Transmission Network (PTN) is a multi-service unified transmission technology based on packet switch and oriented connection, a combination of
transmission technology and data technology, not only well carries carrier-class Ethernet services to satisfy five basic attributes of standardization services,
high-reliability, flexible-expansibility, strict QoS and perfect Operation Administer Maintenance (OAM), but also supports traditional TDM and ATM services
and inherits the graphics interface and end-to-end configuration of SDH network management. At present, PTN mainly applies in the Metro-E and carries
the services QoS required such as mobile-backhaul and private-line/private-network of enterprise and government, so that the Metro transmission network
of our country operators gradually moves forward to packet-based network from TDM.
As the mainstream technology of PTN, MPLS-TP gives up the hop-by-hop forwarding mechanism based on IP address. It establishes delivery path
independent from the control panel and keeps the connection-oriented end-to-end label forwarding capability of MPLS, abandoning the connectionless and
non-end-to-end features (Dont use the penultimate hop label to pop-up PHP, LSP Merge and Equal Cost Multiple Paths (ECMP) etc.), so that with definite
end-to-end delivery path, it enhances the network protection mechanism and OAM capability that meeting transmission network requirements.
The PTN technology in the Metro-E of our country operators mainly locates at the aggregation and access layer to satisfy the following requirements:
1Multi-service bearer: the TDM/ATM services backhaul from wireless base stations, future Ethernet-service and Ethernet-service of
enterprise/government and home customers.
2Service model: the service flow of Metro-E most moves into the service control and switch nodes at core/aggregation layer from the service access
nodes, as the aggregation model of point-to-point (P2P) or point-to-multi-point (P2MP), so the service routing is relatively definite and the middle nodes
need no routing services.
3Strict QoS: TDM/ATM and other high-class data services need low delay, low jitter and bandwidth guarantee, while the peak traffic of bandwidth data
services is large with strong burst and require the QoS capability of flow classifying, bandwidth managing, priority scheduling and congestion controlling etc.
4Carrier-class reliability: it requires reliable and connection-oriented carrier-class bearer and provides end-to-end OAM capability and fast network
protection.
5Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) control and expansibility: there are thousands of service access nodes and hundreds of service aggregation nodes in
many large-medium cities of our country, which requires lower-cost network with unified management and maintenance, at the same time, the service is
distributed abroad with denseness in the Metro-E scope and strong network expansibility is necessary.
The Development of PTN Standard
Early in May, 2005, ITU-T first developed the standard of T-MPLS technology. By the end of 2007, ITU-T has issued and established series standards of TMPLS frames G8110.1, T-MPLS network interfaces G8112, T-MPLS equipment services G8121, T-MPLS line-protection G8131 and loop network protection
G8132 and T-MPLS OAM g8114 etc. In 2007, due to the combat for MPLS benefit and the compatibility problem, IETF put forward that it leads the related
standardization work. In Feb, 2008, ITU-T agreed to establish a joint work team (JWT) with IETF to discuss the compatibility of T-MPLS and MPLS
standard. Afterwards, via adjusting organization and playing chess between different benefit groups, current IETF MPLS-TP standard comes out from the
benefit competition and balance adjustment between transmission and data areas, especially in the standard of OAM and protection mechanism.
As the domestic 3G license distributed last year, with the promotion of a great number of 3G backhaul services and IP-based network requirements, the

demands of each operator for PTN technology and application are growing increasingly. To satisfy the network requirements and the development of
applications, the domestic PTN standardization process is being quickened. At present, Packet Transmission Network (PTN) Overall Technology
Requirements has collected ideas and will be examined about on Sep. This standard will give relatively definite options for PTN technology aiming at
domestic application requirements. We believe that this will greatly advance the development of PTN industry.
Application and Development of PTN Industry
Although the international standard of PTN technology is not completed, as the eager requirements of wireless-backhaul in domestic and oversea markets,
at present, series of PTN products have successively come into the market. The MPLS-TP products of ZTE Corporation, HuaWei, FiberHome, Shanghai
Bell, UT Starcom, Ericsson, Tellabs and other manufacturers have been tested by many operators. Most products also get the network certifications of
Industry and Information Ministry. Overall, the basic services and performances of PTN (MPLS-TP) products are stable. However, some mechanisms such
as OAM, protection and interoperability etc. need to be perfected and packet synchronization needs further validity.
PTN integrates the advantages of transmission network and data network, aiming at constructing carrier-class connection-oriented packet bearer network,
which meets the requirements of operators network development, so PTN is a competitive solution of 3G wireless-backhaul. However, the three operators
of our country are different in basic network resource, service development demands and network operating system. So this fact will affect their selection of
PTN policies and the application scenes. It is always that No best technology, only best choice. After the overall tests to find out the real situation in
laboratory in 2008 and the tests in experimental units in first half year of 2009, China Mobile had made a clear direction for PTN network evolution and
development. On Oct. 2009, China Mobile started the PTN centralized purchase, in which seven manufacturers contended on technology and commerce.
At last, ZTE and HuaWei are both first by getting 35% shares. The domestic manufacturers all took up about 90% shares. The construction of PTN network
started at the beginning of 2010, and the real market shares of each manufacture will be gradually clear along with the construction of PTN in each
province. Later, it will be realized to move forward into the full-service network based on the mobile-backhaul network. For China Telecom, PTN and
IP/MPLS+ are both competitive with their own advantages. At present, PTN related enterprise standards have been completed and PTN tests have been
carrying out in laboratory as well as the related experimental applications are involved in official discuss. China Unicom had completed the optimization for
3G bearer aiming at MSTP of current network in 2009 to satisfy the bearer demands during 3G construction. Meanwhile, China Unicom also paid attention
to the development of PTN technology and the standard, and started PTN related test in laboratory at the forth quarter of 2009. The attention and
application paid to PTN will be more and more along with WCDMA data service spreading into the packet-based bearer technology.
All in all, via five years development, PTN has made great progress in technology, industry and application and established nicer foundation for
industrialization application. 2010 year is a key year for both standards and applications of PTN. In standard area, the domestic overall technology
specification needs to be completed to instruct the network applications and equipment developments. In international aspect, it is necessary to play every
roles to advance MPLS-TP standard. In application area, China Mobile is gradually constructing PTN to better satisfy network demands. It is the key to
meet the requirements of large-scale construction and operation, at the same time, to make the research and practice work on network operating aiming at
PTNs particularity. For other operators, good test and experimental work will establish a nicer base for next step.