This document describes the Client Adaptation Element (CAE), the set of functions that provides access and aggregation capability for the WDM LAN, within the SAE AS5659 WDM LAN specifications document family. In the WDM LAN, the CAE fits in between the Optical Backbone, which provides transmission of data over the transparent network, and the clients which the network serves. The complexity of the CAE depends on the types and number of clients.
Rationale: The aerospace industry requires precise standards for avionics system design. This document helps define interoperability requirements within and between optical Wavelength Division Multiplexed (WDM) Local Area Networks (LANs) used in military and aerospace applications. Aerospace networks use many communication protocols; guidance for access and aggregation helps accommodate these in the context of the WDM LAN.
