OC-12c digital crossconnect switch

This paper describes the design of an OC-12c crossconnect switch developed for the VISTAnet research testbed and installed in GTE´s Parkwood central office. The crossconnect switch has been designed as SONET-compliant line terminating equipment and provides switching for up to 16 OC-12c signals. The system consists of up to eight trunk interface cards with two bidirectional OC-12 ports, a synchronous switch card, and a control module with craft interface to provide service monitoring, provisioning, and maintenance functions. Several novel concepts, such as distributed power systems and integrated electro-optical backplane connectors, were incorporated in the design of the crossconnect. The system was implemented using a judicious mix of GaAs, ECL, and CMOS technology. Particular attention was given to equipping the crossconnect with extensive diagnostic capability to facilitate network performance monitoring. Graphic user interface technology provides an easy interface for either operator or maintenance personnel