End-to-end Data delivery via Satellite and MEF compliant UT

Truminds has been successfully working with one of the World's Leading Satellite player, on their cutting-edge ground segment software and on simulating their satellite on-board-platform. It is an interesting and exciting project as the client is envisioning to revolutionize the global broadband connectivity by delivering a combination of high capacity, security, resiliency and affordability with ultra-low latency and fibre-like speeds.

In this blog, let’s try to understand this use case at a high level.

Essentially this solution comprises of a highly innovative global network composed of 198 state-of-the-art Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites seamlessly integrated with on-ground data networks. The satellite network uses some unique features like Hybrid Orbits resulting in more global coverage, Data Processing in space with full digital modulation, demodulation and routing, Phased Array Antennas on each satellite with hopping beams with dynamic capacity focusing and optical inter-satellite data links for a fully connected global mesh of satellites for data transfer. The whole network is designed for MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum) 3.0 standards-based compliance.

In the satellite world, there are mainly three types of orbits :-

The main advantages of using a LEO based constellation of satellites are as follows :-

The entire network provides an end-to-end connectivity to the customers using a network on the ground connected via the space satellites. The ground segment typically consists of a customer POP connected via routers to a Landing Station which has a satellite uplink/downlink. The other side of the satellite is in touch with a small hardware box called the User Terminal (UT) which would typically reside with the end customer in a remote area. The UT has a radio modem which can communicate with the satellite directly. The customer can hook up their devices to the UT and can get an end-to-end Ethernet connectivity with the help of MPLS based Pseudowires.

Truminds is delivering the following services for our client :-

The core software development on the UTs needs to be a cost-effective solution in a box. The resources on the UT are limited, due to its form factor, yet a high performance is expected if the solution is to be adopted by the end customer. Typically, the UT is a System on Chip (SoC) with embedded ARM 64-bit cores. Since a high throughput is required, an ideal solution is to use toolkits like DPDK and VPP, which Truminds has a strong expertise and engineering excellence with its proven 5G core network and RAN Technology solutions. However, if DPDK has to be used then there should be a NIC that is supported by DPDK on the machine. In this case the UT is an SoC and has its own Ethernet I/O interfaces which are not even based on the PCI bus. Hence Truminds is engaged in developing a custom made non-PCI DPDK PMD which can let the user space software do the high speed I/O. VPP can then use this PMD dropped inside DPDK to complete the solution.

The whole network is controlled by a Centralized Network Operating System (CNOS) which pre-calculates where the 198 satellites would be, every minute, and thus prepares in advance a Routing Plan using which the data which would be transferred from the UT to a satellite to a Landing Station to a POP and vice versa. This routing plan changes nearly every three minutes and is delivered to the UT’s and Satellites using dedicated MPLS based Pseudowires. Thus, the UT knows at what time of the day what MPLS labels are to be used to ferry packets end to end using the correct MPLS Label based routing. Protocols like BFD are used on UT to detect end to end connectivity on the links and choose active or backup datapaths. Thus, CNOS plays an extremely dynamic and crucial role in determining that the network runs correctly. Typically, CNOS is run centralized on huge servers and is a big number cruncher predicting in advance the precise location of the 198 satellites orbiting around the globe.

Truminds is successful in creating value to the client by saving upto 40% on the cost front by leveraging its expertise in VPP/DPDK/MPLS, which is one our forte areas. The fact that Truminds was chosen as a partner despite multiple existing partners and bid from new partners is a testimony to Truminds’ unrelentless focus on the cutting-edge R&D excellence on data path networking and networking based communications software.

We at Truminds are looking forward to the global deployment of this solution at a scale in the near future.