Multiplexpfad

Multiplexpfad, or multiplex path, is a term used in telecommunications and data networks to describe an end-to-end communication path that carries multiple data streams simultaneously by multiplexing them onto a shared transmission resource. In practice, a multiplex path is a logical construct that may be realized on top of a single physical link or across several links, depending on the technology. The central idea is to increase bandwidth efficiency by combining several signals before transmission and separating them at the destination.

Common multiplexing techniques include time-division multiplexing (TDM), where channels are assigned time slots; frequency-division multiplexing (FDM), where channels occupy different frequencies; and code-division multiplexing (CDM), where channels are distinguished by codes. In optical networks, wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) can create multiple wavelength channels on the same fiber, effectively forming a multiplex path from source to destination. In IP and MPLS networks, a multiplex path may correspond to an end-to-end path that carries several service flows multiplexed by the data plane, with signaling used to set up the path.

Key parameters for multiplex paths include capacity, latency, jitter, and protection mechanisms. Path provisioning should ensure quality of service and minimize interference between channels. Multiplex paths can be static, relying on preconfigured routes, or dynamic, adapted by control planes and routing protocols.

Examples: a fiber link carrying several 10 Gbit/s channels via WDM; an MPLS network carrying multiple VPN traffic streams over a single label-switched path with multiplexed traffic.

See also: multiplexing, end-to-end path, WDM, MPLS.