Seamless Migration of Existing SDH Network to the IP-MPLS

Network across Southern Railways

G. Chittibabu, AXSTE/PROJ-1/MS
Aseem.R, JE/Tele/PROJ-1/MS

Abstract forwarding decisions are made only on the contents

of this label, so the packet does not need to be
The existing SDH Network setup which is used for examined. This allows for end-to-end circuits across
short haul communication like BPAC, section any type of transport medium, using any protocol.
control, traction power control, emergency control,
LC Gate control, Exchanges, Railnet, UTN, FOIS, 2 Why IP-MPLS?
and SCADA etc. has bandwidth constraints and the
network function relies on circuit switching. To  IP-MPLS does not reserve bandwidth in
enhance the network technology and unified advance, so the channel capacity will be
communication backbone, Railways has decided to utilized only during initiation of data traffic.
switch over to label switching using the existing
routing protocols and the bandwidth is freely utilized  It will route the data in all enabled directions
as unrelated sources can be used in any pathcalled instead of dedicated path.
IP-MPLS Technology. Migration of SDH Network  Since the system is working on Multi-
to IP-MPLS in Southern Railways is a Pilot Project, Protocol Label technology, any type of
which is to be carried out in multiple phases across system upgradation technology can be easily
six divisions. Being a pilot project and non- integrate with it.
availability of dedicated fiber, it is decided to do
trial base test on existing live fiber using WDM  The Ring type topology in IP-MPLS network
technology over SDH Network in Chennai ensures protection of packets through
division.This article mainly discuss about the multiple paths in case of any disturbance in
seamless migration of Existing SDH network to the multiple networks.
IP-MPLS Network using existing fiber between  In future modern Signaling equipment's will
Arakkonam(AJJ) - Chengalpattu (CGL) section in implement on MPLS platform.
Chennai division includes Testing, Field difficulties
and migration of current communication services
3 What IP-MPLS offers?
used in the section.
 Efficient and Dynamic Bandwidth utilization.
1 Introduction  Optimizes Network capacity by granular
IP MPLS is a routing system that enables fast data increments of 10MB, 100MB, and 1GE.
switching from one node to the next node based on  Better network security features.
labels. Commonly, the packets in IP networks need
to consider the destination addresses to control the  Robust and High resiliency
function of the routers, which takes time. IP MPLS  Deterministic QoS.
finds an alternative to this process by switching
packets based on the label. Labels are assigned to  Improves packet performance and controls
data packets; data from one node to the next based traffic.
on short path labels rather than long network
 Support both legacy TDM and Packet traffic:
addresses, thus avoiding complex lookups in a
CWDM Plane built in etc.
routing table and enhance traffic speed. Here packet-
4 Are LER and LSR Different? 5 MPLS LDP [Label Distribution
Everyone have misconception that LER [Label Edge
Protocol]
Router] and LSR [Label Switch Router] are different LDP is a protocol that automatically generates and
but it same only, it mainly depend upon the site and exchanges labels between routers. Each router will
interface requirement and there is no separate locally generate labels for its prefixes and will then
protocol and configuration for both. advertise the label values to its neighbors. LDP first
Refer to the TAN document, it is clearly mentioned establishes a neighbor adjacency before it exchanges
that Minimum Interface configuration for LER (i.e. label information. First it sends UDP multicast hello
2 No’s of 10G Port) which can used at wayside packets to discover other neighbors. Once two
routers decide to become neighbors, they build the
stations and Maximum interface configuration for
LSR (i.e. 8 no’s 10G ports) which can be used in neighbor adjacency using a TCP connection with
port no.646. This connection is then used for the
junction where more than two optical interfaces
required exchange of label information. Normally a loopback
interface is used for the neighbor adjacency. Routing
The requirement of additional LSR will rise only protocols uses RIB and FIB but LDP uses RIB, FIB,
when junction station is having more than six optical LIB and LFIB.
interfaces apart from normal two directions and it is
not mandatory to provide LER below LSR. However
if number of service requirement exceeds the
equipment hardware capacity, then only LER shall
be provided below the LSR.

Routing Protocol LDP

6 SR Connectivity Diagram of IP-MPLS Network

7 Brief Description of NEON IP MPLS Device

8 Slots Arrangement of NEON

9 Various Modules of NEON

16 port E1 modules are Standard 120 Ohms

interface where we can connect PDMUX/Routers/
10 How to Execute?
xecute?
Any third-party
party devices with E1 interfaces being Before going to direct execution of the project it is
connected on STM presently. WDM [Wavelength better to test the equipment’s in a small section
Division Multiplexing] Card is used to connect that have less train movements. This gives in hand
existing SDH network in a seamless manner to experience of the equipment’s and find its
IPMPLS. difficulties while installation and testing. So CGL
to AJJJ section is chosen for installation and
testing, which have six stations [CGL, PALR, WJ,
CJ, TMLP, MLPM and AJJ] and Redundancy
path for the network is to be provided through
Railway SDH network. Step by step procedure is
follows for execution
1. Due to the non availability of dedicated fibers
fiber
in this section the installation of IP-MPLS
IP
Routers are carried out in the existing SDH
Network with the help of WDM technology
available in MPLS Router. WDM card
consists of 8 wavelength ports and one uplink
backbone
ackbone port. Each wavelength carries
individual data signal of each 100G bandwidth
capacity
2. We selected wavelength 1471 and 1511 for
10G of MPLS and SDH respectively. Between
stations 10G connection is extended and data
 services between MPLS to MPLS and SDH to 4. 1G port of MPLS is utilized for interfacing with
SDH will be transport over the backbone existing Railway SDH network
networ between CGL
through the respective wavelengths. The same and AJJ via 3 LSR installed at TBM,
method will be adopted in all 7 stations ((I.e. Testroom/MAS and TRL for redundancy path.
CGL-AJJ)
5. Before going for migration of services, ensure
3. Directly connected ports (10G) will be in same that NMS shall be provided at Testroom/MAS
Testroom
network addresses and remaining all ports in for monitoring purpose of the MPLS Links and
the network in different network address then alarms since we are working on live circuits
only dynamic OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) not a dedicated media.
routing will work efficiently. Refer below the
assigning of network id of each station.

11 MPLS Connectivity
onnectivity from CGL to AJJ with Redundancy Path

12 Preliminary Testing 13 Migration and Final Testing

1. Generally MPLS have Lakhsakhs of labels (labels 1. Migration of E1 services BPAC, MUX, FOIS,
are in numbers) for assigning. By default it will SCADA etc. and Ethernet services PRS/UTS
assign random label number to the data. During and IP Phones across each station to IPMPLS.
trouble shooting we are unable to identify the
data pertaining to which station. Hence a label 2. Assign different ID no’s for each service at
range may be assign to each station. For each station during configuration. Based on ID
example CGL - 0 to 100,, PALR - 101 to 200, no’s labels will theassign
assign by the system within
WJ - 201to 300 etc. So based on the label the range allotted manually.
number respective station data can be
3. Accessibility of E1 and Ethernet services are
identified.
checked through the redundancy
redundanc path
2. Connect Laptopss at AJJ and CGL, assign established across Railway network after
Different IP addresses and take ping test in disconnecting the fiber connectivity between
normal condition and note down the label any two stations. With the help of tool Trace
assign by each MPLS of station. Disconnect route identifying redundancy path established
the fiber between stations and check route by OSPF Protocol and labels assigned for each
redundancy using OSPF protocol. service over different network
ne of the systems.
4. Keep monitoring of the network for 20 days 14 Testing and Monitoring
through NMS.
Each Router is assigned with LSR IDs, 10G/1G
5. If no issue, disconnect SDH from WDM card ports are assigned with IPs. These can be ping at
and directly connect the backbone fiber to 10G any time for checking accessibility.In connection
between stations simultaneously and it will not with IP plan, it is mentioned in the RDSO TAN
affect the other end of the network which is for migration from existing IP Scheme to new IP
already in WDM and one by one migration of scheme, Railway Board will scrutinize the IP
backbone to 10G between stations. Hence planning on case to case basis and all India IP
complete migration services to MPLS will be plan for the loop back IP’s and interfaced IP’s will
done successfully. have to be planned and followed for migration.
Following table shows the IPs details from CGL
to AJJ MPLS connectivity.

Sl.
Stations 10G Port IP’s 1G Port Ip’s LSR ID’s
No.
1 CGL to PALR 10.10.110.1/2 - 100.100.110.1
2 PALR to WJ - 10.10.120.1/2 100.100.120.2
3 WJ to CJ 10.10.130.1/2 - 100.100.130.3
4 CJ to TMLP 10.10.140.1/2 - 100.100.140.4
5 TMJP to MLPM 10.10.150.1/2 - 100.100.150.5
6 MLPM to AJJ 10.10.160.1/2 - 100.100.160.6
7 AJJ to CGL - 10.10.170.1/2 100.100.170.7

For continuous monitoring of the network NMS is 15.3 Configuration of L3VPNs

to be provided at Testroom/MAS. NMS provide
the detail analysis of the network such as optical  VRF (Virtual routing and forwarding)
power details, alarm indications, connection Configuration (with Route-Distinguishers
details, live monitoring and management of and Route-Targets).
network etc.
 Redistribution of Routing protocols

15 MPLS Configurations for Fast  Configuration of Traffic Engineering/QoS

Switching, L2VPNs and
15.4 Field Difficulties
L3VPNs
Existing Fiber: Due to the non availability of
15.1 Establishing MPLS Core Network dedicated fibers in the sections existing fibers are
to be used for the connectivity. Pertaining to the
 Establishing normal IP network with AS block stations train movement to be affected. Here
[Autonomous System] number and any it is very essential how we manage to integrate IP-
IGP [Interior Gateway protocol]. MPLS in SDH network without disturbing train
 Enable MPLS with Label Distribution movement in the section.
Protocol.
 MP BGP [Multiprotocol- Border Gateway OFC Power Issues: Receiver sensitivity of 10G
Protocol] Configuration (Interior BGP). port is -16db to -18db pertaining 40KM SFP, So
sometimes the existing fibersmay have high
15.2 Configuration of L2VPNs/VPLS power loss, In that case the 10G port of MPLS
[Virtual Private LAN Service]/AToM won’t get up so we can try with 1G port since
receiver sensitivity is more than 10G. Else try
 Configuration of Pseudo wire (xconnect / with 80km wavelength SFP. The the same issue
VC) was occurred while giving connectivity between
PALR to WJ through, we tried on 1G and
connected successfully.
16 Conclusion G.Chittibabu, AXSTE/Project -
1/MS started his carrier as
To cope up with the present rapid technologic SSE/Tele in Chennai division
advancements in communication field, we should 2004. He did his B.E in ECE from
always go for the technology which is easily Madras University. He has 18
scalable and future proof. In this era of packet-
years’ experience of working in
switching network, Indian Railways has decided
telecom systems. He developed his knowledge in
to switch from SDH to IP-MPLS Network. This is
future proof technology which possesses SDH, PDH, Routers and Switches. In 2020, he
tremendous features. This migration of SDH to cleared Group B service and posted as ADSTE/PGT.
IP-MPLS network is considered as one of the pilot Now he is working under Dy.CSTE/Project -1/MS.
project by SR which is executed in all six
divisions in a multiphase manner by Aseem.R, JE/Tele/PROJ-1/MS
Dy.CSTE/PROJ/I/MS unit after successful joined in Chennai Division, SR on
completion of testing at CGL-AJJ section. 2020. He is a graduate in B.Tech
ECE. After successful completion
Reference of training he has been posted
JE/Tele under Dy.CSTE/Project -1/MS.
1. IR Telecom Manual 2021.
2. An Introductory handbook on IP-MPLS
Technology by RDSO.