A non-transitory computer-readable medium, method, and system for processing a first data stream being in a first format from a link, the first data stream having a plurality of frames, each frame having a fixed frame length; selecting a plurality of sections of the first data stream based on a harmonic pattern of the first format, each selected section being separated from a neighboring selected section by a fixed separation length that is a whole number multiple of the fixed frame length; and creating a second data stream in a second format that includes a contiguous sequence of the selected sections. The second data stream can be further processed to acquire frame alignment with a reduction of required processing power.