New Features in Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP

This chapter describes the new features supported on the Cisco NCS 4200 Series.

New Software Features in Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP

  • ACR and DCR Support

    Adaptive Clock Recovery (ACR) is an averaging process that negates the effect of random packet delay variation and captures the average rate of transmission of the original bit stream. ACR recovers the original clock for a synchronous data stream from the actual payload of the data stream.

    Differential Clock Recovery (DCR) is a technique used for Circuit Emulation (CES) to recover clocks based on the difference between PE clocks. TDM clock frequency is tuned to receive differential timing messages from sending end to the receiving end.

    ACR and DCR configuration is supported on 48xT3E3 and 48xT1E1 interface modules.

    For more information on 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

    For more information on 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module.

  • Alarm History

    Alarm history or alarm persistence feature enables the maintenance of the history of the port and the path alarms of the following interface modules:

    • NCS4200-48T3E3-CE

    • NCS4200-48T1E1-CE

    • NCS4200-1T8S-10CS

    History of the port-level and path-level alarms are saved into a file and is retained for monitoring network events.

    For more information, see Alarm History .

  • APS support on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules

    Automatic protection switching (APS) is a protection mechanism for SONET networks that enables SONET connections to switch to another SONET circuit when a circuit failure occurs. A protection interface serves as the backup interface for the working interface. When the working interface fails, the protection interface quickly assumes its traffic load. 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules supports the following SONET protection switching schemes:

    • Linear Bidirectional 1+1 APS

    • Linear Unidirectional 1+1 APS

    For more information, see Configuring SONET on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules.

  • Circuit Emulation Support on 48xT1/E1 IM, 48xT3/E3 IM, and 1x OC-192 or 8-port Low Rate CEM Interface Module (10G HO / 10G LO)

    Circuit Emulation (CEM) is a technology that provides a protocol-independent transport over a packet-based backhaul technology such as MPLS or IP Networks. CEM provides a bridge between a time-division multiplexing (TDM) network and MPLS network. L2VPN over IP/MPLS is also supported on the interface modules.


    Note

    • For OC-192 interface module, 1G interface is not supported in Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP.

    • CEM is supported only on Cisco NCS 4206 and Cisco NCS 4216.

    For more information on 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module.

    For more information on 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

    For more information on 1x OC-192 or 8-port Low Rate CEM Interface Module, see Configuring CEM on 1x OC-192 or 8-port Low Rate CEM Interface Module (10G HO / 10G LO).

  • DS1 support on 48 ports T1/E1 Interface Module

    This release introduces the DS1 support on 48 ports T1/E1 Interface Module. The 48xT1/E1 with circuit emulation line card supports generic single or dual-port T1 trunk interfaces for voice, data, and integrated voice or data applications.


    Note

    • In Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP, E1 is not supported.

    • T1 is supported only on Cisco NCS 4206 and Cisco NCS 4216.

    For more information, see Configuring 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module.

  • DS3 Channelization Support

    A channelized interface is an interface that is a subdivision of a larger interface. Channelization minimizes the number of physical interface modules and enables users with different access speeds and bandwidth. DS3 Channelization supports each port on a T3 interface to channelize up to 28T1 channels.

    For more information, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

  • DS3 support on 48 ports T3 Interface Module

    This release introduces the DS3 support on 48 ports T3 Interface Module. The 48xT3/E3 with circuit emulation line card supports 48 ports. The channels on the T3 interfaces can be configured as either clear channel mode or channelized mode.


    Note

    • In Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP, E3 is not supported.

    • T3 is supported only on Cisco NCS 4206 and Cisco NCS 4216.

    For more information, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

  • Loopback and BERT Support

    Loopback tests allow you to isolate pieces of the circuit and test them separately, when a serial line does not come up as it must.

    Bit Error Rate Test (BERT) checks communication between the local and the remote ports. BER tests allow you to test cables and diagnose signal problems in the field. The BERT patterns are supported on channelized line cards to test more thoroughly for bit errors.

    For more information on 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT1/E1 CEM Interface Module.

    For more information on 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

  • Maintenance Data Link Support

    Maintenance Data Link (MDL) supports to send messages to communicate identification information between the local and remote ports.

    The MDL message includes:

    • Equipment Identification Code (EIC)

    • Location Identification Code (LIC)

    • Frame Identification Code (FIC)

    • Unit

    • Path Facility Identification (PFI)

    • Port Number

    • Generator Identification Number

    For more information, see Configuring 48xT3/E3 CEM Interface Module.

  • OC3/OC12 Smart SFP supporting CEP

    The OC3/OC12 Smart SFP supporting CEP ( VCoP Smart SFP) is a special type of optical transceiver which encapsulates SONET bit stream at STS1 or STS-3c or STS-12c level into packet format. The VCoP Smart SFP forwards the SONET signal fully transparently.


    Note

    OC3/OC12 Smart SFP feature is supported only on Cisco NCS 4201 and Cisco NCS 4202.

    For more information, see Configuring VCoP Smart SFP.

  • ONS pluggable optics support on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules

    Cisco NCS 4200 offers a comprehensive range of pluggable optical modules.

    For more information, see Configuring SONET on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules.

  • OTN Wrapper

    Optical Transport Network (OTN) Wrapper feature provides robust transport services that leverage many of the benefits such as resiliency and performance monitoring, while adding enhanced multi-rate capabilities in support of packet traffic, plus the transparency required by Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks. Cisco NCS 4200 acts as an aggregator for ethernet, TDM, and SONET traffic to connect to an OTN network and vice versa. The ports on the interface modules are capable of OTN functionality.

    The OTN Wrapper feature is supported on the following interface modules:

    • 8x10GE (NCS4200-8T-PS)—The encapsulation type is OTU1e and OTU2e.

    • 2x40GE (NCS4200-2Q-P)—The encapsulation type is OTU3.

    For more information, see OTN Wrapper Overview.

  • Performance Monitoring

    Performance monitoring (PM) parameters are used by service providers to gather, store, and set thresholds, and to report performance data for early detection of problems.

    For more information, see Configuring SONET on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules.

  • QoS support on CEMoMPLS

    The QoS EXP Matching feature allows you to classify and mark network traffic by modifying the Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) experimental bits (EXP) field in IP packets. This feature allows you to organize network traffic by setting values for the MPLS EXP field in MPLS packets. By choosing different values for the MPLS EXP field, you can mark packets so that packets have the priority that they require during periods of congestion.

    For more information, see CEM over MPLS QOS.

  • SONET support on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules

    Synchronous Optical NETwork (SONET) defines optical signals and a synchronous frame structure for multiplexed digital traffic. SONET is supported on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 interface modules. The transport network using SONET provides much more powerful networking capabilities than existing asynchronous systems. SONET is a set of standards that define the rates and formats for optical networks specified in GR-253-CORE.

    For more information, see Configuring SONET on 1X OC-192 and 8X OC-48 Interface Modules .

New Hardware Features in Cisco IOS XE Release 3.18SP

The following Interface Modules were introduced:

  • 48 X T1/E1 CEM Interface Module—The 48 X T1/E1 interface module provides connectivity for up to 48 x T1/E1 ports through 3 high-density connectors on the front panel. Each port supports 16 TX and RX ports.

  • 48 X T3/E3 CEM Interface Module—The 48 X T3/E3 interface module provides connectivity for up to 48 x T3/E3 ports through 3 high-density connectors on the front panel. Each port supports 16 TX and RX ports.

  • OC-192 Interface Module with 8-port Low Rate CEM Interface Module (10G HO / 10G LO)—The OC-192 interface module with 8-port low rate CEM interface module is a high density combination interface module. This module supports 1 OC-192 port and 8 low rate CEM or 1 Gigabit Ethernet port.