What is Carrier Ethernet 2.0?
09/09/2008 15:34
By ANDA Networks' Greg Gum To many, ‘Carrier Ethernet 2.0’ is a buzzword that is awaiting a definition. Depending on whom you ask, Carrier Ethernet 2.0 is the latest technology being adopted by carriers, a philosophy for Ethernet upgrades, something that will transform carriers to service providers, or a forecast for the next trend in the carrier Ethernet space. So which is right? Let’s take a step back. Carrier Ethernet (now called ‘1.0’) has been around, enjoying growing popularity, as an enhanced, cost-effective alternative to private-line TDM, and better suited for bandwidth scaling and bursty traffic. The emphasis of Carrier Ethernet 1.0 was encouraging service providers to deploy the initial Ethernet services. With respect to that goal, Carrier Ethernet 1.0 has been successful. Now carriers are seeing their customers demand managed service and more services through their Ethernet – a capability just outside the capacity of carrier Ethernet 1.0. In order for carriers to offer a revenue-generating managed service, they must first be equipped with insight into their networks, for quick diagnostics, provisioning and management. Recent improvements in operations, administration and maintenance (OAM) have now advanced enough to give carriers the ability to take a real look at their network activity – for better, more specific control over their networks, customizable SLAs, end-to-end monitoring capabilities and more. Imagine Carrier Ethernet 1.0 with more features and more grown up, with a focus on providing services rather than just carrying traffic. This is Carrier Ethernet 2.0 – Ethernet that gives service providers greater control of their networks, which in turn gives customers more tailored and bandwidth-intensive services, such as VoIP, video and mobile data backhaul traffic over an increasingly higher speed Ethernet. In Carrier Ethernet 2.0, the connection is controlled, or at least monitored closely by the originating service provider, even across third-party networks. That originating service provider provides an SLA that makes it responsible for ensuring the quality of service regardless of where the service is extended. ANDA itself has implemented OAM capabilities into its fiber, copper, and on- and off-net products to help service providers start the move to Carrier Ethernet 2.0. But we are just beginning, and we can expect more innovation in the future. Once we hit large-scale adoption, the real meaning of Carrier Ethernet 2.0 will be apparent to everyone. Greg Gum is vice president of marketing and business development at ANDA Networks, a provider of carrier-class Ethernet solutions to service providers. Related Articles: NXTcomm Welcomes ‘Carrier Ethernet 2.0’ An Update on the Move to Make Ethernet Carrier-Class Related Webinar: Making Ethernet Easier Related eBook: Carrier Ethernet Survival Guide
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