A network component comprising a processor configured to implement a method comprising promoting the communication of a frame within a synchronization window, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of data types assigned to a plurality of timeslots, and a timeslot map indicating the data type assigned to each timeslot. Also disclosed is a method comprising receiving a data stream comprising a data structure comprising a plurality of timeslots, each timeslot carrying one of a plurality of data types, receiving a timeslot map indicating the data types assigned to each of the timeslots, and processing each timeslot in accordance with the timeslot map.