TECHNOLOGY

Ethernet

Virtual Concatenation

Virtual Concatenation (VCAT) is a standardized method of grouping contiguous high or low order containers into a single, end-to-end SONET/SDH path, which allows service providers to reuse stranded bandwidth for revenue generating services. The HSX 6000 is designed with source and destination chips that recognize and process VCAT headers between the PHM and USMs, to support allocated bandwidth matching between a packet’s bandwidth requirements and the network that the packet is flowing across.