Partitioning forward error correction decoding iterations to accommodate multiple data streams

A system comprising,

• an optical receiver configured to:
• receive a data stream;
• decode the data stream using a first iterative forward error correction (FEC) decoder;
• determine whether to further decode the data stream using the first iterative FEC decoder or a second iterative FEC decoder,
• the second iterative FEC decoder being different from the first iterative FEC decoder;
• and
• selectively perform a first action or a section action based on determining whether to further decode the data stream,
• the first action including providing the data stream to the first iterative FEC decoder or the second iterative FEC decoder for further decoding when the data stream is to be further decoded,
• the second action including preventing the data stream from being provided to the first iterative FEC decoder or the second iterative FEC decoder when the data stream is not to be further decoded.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an optical receiver, a data stream;
• decoding, by the optical receiver, the data stream using a first forward error correction (FEC) decoder;
• determining, by the optical receiver, whether to further decode the data stream using the first FEC decoder or a second FEC decoder,
• the second FEC decoder being different from the first FEC decoder;
• and
• selectively performing, by the optical receiver, a first action or a section action based on determining whether to further decode the data stream,
• the first action including providing the data stream to the first FEC decoder or the second FEC decoder, for further decoding, based on determining that the data stream is to be further decoded,
• the second action including preventing the data stream from being provided to the first FEC decoder or the second FEC decoder, for further decoding, based on determining that the data stream is not to be further decoded.