Hargesia, Somalia: 10 GBits/s Transport Ring Network Project Report

This report details a project undertaken by a transmission network project engineer at Telesom Company in Hargesia, Somalia, focusing on the implementation of a 10 GBits/s transport ring network using OptiX OSN 3500 equipment. The project's primary objective was to alleviate network congestion by deploying a ring network across six major stations. The report outlines the engineer's responsibilities, which included leading the project team, installing and configuring the network infrastructure, designing fiber cable layouts, and commissioning the system. The engineer utilized theoretical knowledge of ring transport networks, SDH, and Ethernet services, applying engineering skills related to optical transmission, IP configurations, and network management. The report describes the project's execution, including the installation of cabinets, subtracks, and various interface boards, as well as the configuration of Ethernet and SDH services. A key challenge involved integrating SDH and packet services, which was resolved through meticulous configuration adjustments. The project successfully eliminated traffic congestion and ensured service flow with network and service level protection schemes, with the engineer contributing to monitoring tools and preparing comprehensive reports. The report highlights the engineer's contributions, including the implementation of anti-multi failure protection and service protection based on SDH, and the effective use of Huawei OSN 3500 and IP configurations.

CE 3.1 Information of the Project
Project Name: 10 GBits/ s Transport Ring Network OptiX OSN 3500
Location of the project: Hargesia, Somalia
Project Duration: 2 months (May of 2018 to July of 2018)
Organization: Telesom Company, Hargesia, Somalia
Role and Designation in the project: Transmission Network Project Engineer
CE 3.2 Background of the organization
Telesom Company is one of the most popular company that provides telecom services
to its users. The most significant services of Telesom Company involve services for data or
voice, cloud services, mobile money, GSM, ISP, LTE 2G and 3G connections. Telesom is
responsible for completing several unique projects to bring out the most effective solutions
for any type of issue or complexity related to telecommunications and data services.
CE 3.3 Background of the Project
CE 3.3.1 Basic Characteristics of the Project
This ring transport network is a flexible private communication network that is
completely based on the fibre optical technology. It is a kind of distinctive technology that is
being utilized vast in the private networks with the most diversified communication
requirements like sub way system, tunnel, mining industry and pipeline. The ring transport
network provides permission every type of application like video image, data traffic and
various forms of speech. The relevant information for process management could be
distinctively sent transparently over the highest practically unlimited distances. This ring

networks are the network topologies, where every specific node gets linked to exactly 2 other
network nodes and thus establishing one continuous path way for the signal through every
node ring. While working in the Telesom Company, Hargesia, Somalia, I became a part of a
project, called, 10 GBits/ s Transport Ring Network OptiX OSN 3500. Since the traffic in the
city has been constantly increasing, the existing fibre network around the city faced
congestion. Therefore, a network upgrade became extremely necessary for the entire city of
Hargesia. The project was being implemented by the transmission network team of Telesom
for deploying a ring transport network with the major capacity of 10 GB in 1 second for the 6
major stations within Hargesia city in Somalia. Therefore, being the part of the transmission
network team in Telesom, I was eventually responsible for making the project successful.
CE 3.3.2 Developed Objectives for this project
10 GBits/ s Transport Ring Network OptiX OSN 3500 was being made with the core
purpose of implementing a ring transport network for 6 stations in Hargesia, Somalia. I had to
be sure that project does not provide erroneous results and is being executed with utmost
efficiency and efficacy. Hence, to achieve suitable results from the project work, some of the
core objectives were set out as follows.
 To deploy a ring transport network with a capacity of 10 GB in 1 second for all the 6
stations in Hargesia, Somalia.
 To establish the ring network in such a manner that provides ring protected traffic
with the convergence layer of the network.
 To ensure that the ring network comprised of an anti multi failure protection on the
basis of MS – PW as well as service protection on the basis of SDH.
 To avoid congestion of TDM and packet data traffic in the Hargesia city in Somalia.

CE 3.3.3 My working areas in this work
Having a good experience and aptitude, I was selected as the transmission network
and project engineer in this particular project of 10 GBits/ sec Transport Ring Network OptiX
OSN 3500 by project team leader and organizational department. Since I have been a distinct
member of numerous significant transmission projects during my career, I could overcome
the challenges and difficulties during this project. Moreover, I had a good knowledge about
the optic fibre technology and equipment and thus, the entire project was executed in a
smooth manner. My subsequent project supervisor identified my most significant strengths in
the entire tenure and after considering them with my experience, he selected me to be the
team leader.

Engineering Department
Manager
Transmission Network Section Manager
Transmission Network Engineer/ Project Engineer (Me)
Transmission and Infrastructure Engineer Technicians
CE 3.3.4 Group of People Involved in this Project
Figure 1: Team Members involved in this Work
CE 3.3.5 My main responsibilities and duties throughout the work
I was assigned for the project work as a transmission network and project engineer.
My main responsibilities in this project included leading the entire project team in absence of
the team leader that comprised of several network engineers and technicians. Since, I was
accustomed with OSM 3500 equipment, I also had the responsibility to install these
equipment. Moreover, I had to install the network energy infrastructure and complete every
system configuration. As I had to design the fibre cable lay out amongst the 6 stations of

Hargesia, Somalia, I had the responsibility of commissioning as well in this project. I
commissioned and tested that all installation works were completed according to the design
lay outs and that all system configurations were completed according to the standards
described in the manuals.
CE 3.4 Distinct Activities in Work
CE 3.4.1 Comprehending the most Basic Theories Used in this Project
I have used my theoretical understandings of ring transport network. The ring network
can either be unidirectional that has all traffic travelling either anti clock wise or clock wise
around the ring or be bidirectional like SONET or SDH. I have used SDH in this particular
project and hence have implemented a bidirectional ring transport network. The equipment
used for the ring transport network was Optix OSN 3500 switch and for the purpose of
avoiding congestion. I took help from the theoretical understanding of Ethernet and other
network services.
CE 3.4.2 Major Engineering skills or knowledge applied in the work
I have applied my understandings for deployment of the transmission ring network.
As, I had to install Huawei OSN 3500 optical switches for this project, calculations were
extremely vital. I applied my optical transmission knowledge in this project which facilitated
in understanding and solving the issues regarding attenuation and dispersion. I have also
applied my understanding of different IP configurations and then integration with NMS
server.
CE 3.4.3 Execution of the work and Tasks Accomplished
I had to design the fibre cable layout amongst the stations and I planned every
appropriate site for placing these fibre switches. These sites were Sha’ab, Jigjigayar,

Cabaaye, New Hargiesa, Star, and Eid HQ1. I started to install the 300mm-deep ETS300 119
standard cabinet in which the Optix OSN 3500 will be accommodated. I located the DC
power distribution unit on the top of the cabinet to supply power to the equipment. Next I set
up the Optix OSN 3500 subtrack. This subtrack has 15 slots for processing board: Slot 1-8
and Slot 11-16. Slot 17 can also hold processing board. The switch has 16 slots for interface
board, one slot for auxiliary interface board, and 3 fan modules. The switch also supports
both E1 interface cards and STM1-STM64 service cards, and Ethernet service cards as well.
In this project, I have used SL16 for SDH processing interface, BA2 for optical
booster amplification board, DCU for dispersion compensation board, EU08 for SDH
interface board, and 10GE optical interface for convergence layer ring. By using iManager
U2000 Network Management Software firstly I created the NE, optical fibre, and subnet
topologies.
The next stage I carried out was the service configuration starting with the Ethernet
services. To create Ethernet services I considered E-line services. I configured different E-
line service types according to their transmission modes for different applications. E-line
services carried by ports, E-line services carried pseudo wires (PWs) based on VLAN, E-line
services carried by QinQ links. I used E-line services carried by ports to transport voice and
data services in different stations. To isolate the different services on same User to Network
Interface (UNI), I used Port VLANs. I also configured E-line services that carried by PWs. In
this case different services are carried by different PWs realising isolation of the services
from one station to another. The services that are accessed from the UNIs are encapsulated
and transmitted to the PWs, and then the services are transmitted through the MPLS tunnel. I
applied E-line services carried by QinQ links in the case of distinguishing services with same
VLANs.

For SDH, I configured services with two-fiber bidirectional Multiplex Section
Protection (MSP). In this case two-fiber bidirectional MSP service enters the ring network
from the source NE, goes through the intermediate node and then drops on the sink NE. MSP
provides shared optical path protection of two rings on one optical interface.
After I completed the installation and configuration of the ring network project in
these stations, it eliminated the traffic congestion in the city and guaranteed the flow of
services with network and service level protection schemes.
Figure 2: Two-Fibre Bidirectional MSP Ring Network
CE 3.4.4 Identified issue with its solution
3.4.4.1 Issue faced in this work
The most significant issue that I confronted was while applying the traffic for both
SDH and packet services over the ring route. Moreover, for this purpose, I was unable to
complete every system configuration properly and I was unsuccessful in integrating the
newly installed ring topology network.

3.4.4.2 Solution to the identified issue
Since, it was my responsibility, I decided to cross check the configurations, if they
were working properly. After checking, I was able to find out my faults and I created services
configurations including protections, tunnels, and TDM and Packet Data services. Finally, I
applied the traffic including both SDH and Packet Services on the ring route and the
configurations were perfect.
CE 3.4.5 Plan made to give innovative as well as creative work
My strategy was installing the ring transport network with original efforts for working
with the team members. I also sub divided the project method mechanisms and then made
sure that all team members are working efficiently.
CE 3.4.6 Work Collaborations
I and my respective team members accomplished project works. I even conducted
formal meetings with every team member for obtaining progress report in a weekly manner. I
even undertook ideas from every team member.
CE 3.5 Overall Reviewing of this Project
CE 3.5.1 Overviewing of this work
I documented and noted every significant result during integration of the project
works. I made it anti multi failure protection on the basis of MS PW and made it service
protected on the basis of SDH. The ring network selected was Huawei OSN 3500 and IP
configurations were being completed properly.

CE 3.5.2 My Major Contributions
I supported to prepare monitoring tools for the NOC department to monitor services
traffic on the ring network. After the completion of project work, I reported to the
Transmission Network Section Manager on daily basis. I even prepared reports of Equipment
Health Report, Traffic Report and Services Management Report.