GR 2996 CORE : ISSUE 1

Outlines Telcordia's view of proposed generic criteria for Synchronous Optical NETwork Digital Cross-Connect Systems (SONET DCSs). It defines features and functions for a DCS using SONET as its core, cross-connect fabric technology. It establishes requirements (both network and operations) for Network Elements (NEs) providing SONET DCS functions, and focuses predominantly on criteria for multilevel SONET Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)-based cross-connect fabrics. It identifies a potential evolutionary path for supporting multifabric DCSs in the future. Also addresses the ability to cross-connect SDH mappings, that are compatible with SONET mappings, by a SONET cross-connect fabric, in order to allow SDH and SONET interconnection (as SDH/SONET international gateway).