Multiservice Provisioning Platform (MSPP) networks are currently being deployed by service providers and in private networks worldwide to enable flexible, resilient, high-capacity transport of voice, video, and data traffic. MSPP systems have overtaken traditional time-division multiplexing (TDM)only transport systems because the need for networks to provide far more than voice services has dramatically increased. This chapter introduces you to several foundational topics that help you grasp the role of the MSPP in modern networks. This includes a fundamental description of the manner in which light travels through optical fiber, and an introduction to the Synchronous Optical Network (SONET) and Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) standards upon which MSPPs are based. Finally, this chapter discusses the importance of precise synchronization in an MSPP network. |