Method and apparatus for encoding error correction data

A system and a method for forward error correction (FEC) which are efficient in terms of computational requirements and the amount of redundant information that must be transmitted. Given a set of input data transfer units (DTUs), to be sent from a transmitting device to a receiving device, the disclosed system uses prime numbers to generate subsets of the input DTUs. Subsets generated in this way are used to generate corresponding error correction DTUs by applying an XOR operation to all DTUs of the subset. The error correction DTUs are then appended to the input DTUs and transmitted to the receiver(s) as part of a burst. The error correction DTUs accordingly provide error correction information for data DTUs transmitted within a burst, and are used by receiving devices to restore data DTUs within the burst that were damaged or lost.