Last Updated: August 16, 2025
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Data Planes are set of network elements which receive, send, and switch the network data.
As per the Generalized Multi-Protocol Label Switching (GMPLS) standards, following nomenclature is used for various technological data planes:
- Packet Switching Capable (PSC) layer
- Layer-2 Switching Capable (L2SC) layer
- Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) layer
- Lambda Switching Capable (LSC) layer
- Fiber-Switch Capable (FSC)
And as per Layered architectures concepts ;above technologies are correlated as:-
- Layer 3 for PSC (IP Routing)
- Layer 2.5 for PSC (MPLS)
- Layer 2 for L2SC (often Ethernet)
- Layer 1.5 for TDM (often SONET/SDH)
- Layer 1 for LSC (often WDM switch elements)
- Layer 0 for FSC (often port switching devices based on optical or mechanical technologies)
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In a “N” Layered Network Architecture, the services are grouped in a hierarchy of layers
– Layer N uses services of layer N-1
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Optical Networking Engineer & Architect • Founder, MapYourTech
Optical networking engineer with nearly two decades of experience across DWDM, OTN, coherent optics, submarine systems, and cloud infrastructure. Founder of MapYourTech. Read full bio →
