Abstract
SDHTOOL, a decision-support system developed by Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (CHT), applies heuristics to plan synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) network architecture and evolution. Planning SDH networks is complex and must be done quickly because of keen competition and rapid changes in telecommunications. A flexible, easy-to-use, state-of-the-art planning tool is needed. SDHTOOL simplifies the planning process, selecting the most appropriate network architecture in terms of cost and survivability. It helps planners to achieve global optimization, ensuring that networks meet service and protection objectives economically and maintain compatibility between new and old equipment during the transition. Compared to conventional labor-intensive planning, SDHTOOL reduces planning time and cuts costs 15 to 33 percent.