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Understanding EoMPLS WAN Technology
Understanding EoMPLS WAN Technology Article covers the following CCNA/ICND1 Exam Topics:
Under Operation of IP Data Networks:
1. Recognize the purpose and functions of various network devices such as Routers, Switches, Bridges, and Hubs.
2. Select the components required to meet a given network specification.
3. Predict the data flow between two hosts across a network.
Recommended Study Plan:
1. Download the ICND1v2 Exam Topics Sheet from Cisco Website.
2. Follow the Steps and the Articles under IP Networks Fundamentals by order.
3. Or start with Data Link Layer Encapsulation Article.
Average Time Required Studying this Article: 1 Hour
Ethernet as a WAN Technology
As time passed, Ethernet became appropriate for LAN networks, but IEEE improved Ethernet standards in ways that
made Ethernet a reasonable WAN technology. E.g. Ethernet Fiber 1000BASE-LX standard uses single-mode 9u
fiber-cable, with support for 5-km cable length; the 1000BASE-ZX supports even longer 70-km cable length. So, as
time went by, and as IEEE improved cabling distance for fiber-ethernet links, ethernet became a reasonable WAN
technology.
Note: from the Telco perspective point of view, WAN is the network where it connects the customer site to the Telco
PSTN or Frame Relay Central Office CO. The phone infrastructure was already there for serial lease lines, but fiber
optic gave the Telco companies (ISP) more bandwidth with more options such video and audio streaming through the
fiber-optic cables. And Ethernet frame doesnt really change regardless of the cable type, but of course Ethernet
scale much better with some other types of cables.
Now days, many WAN services providers (SP) offer WAN services that take advantage of Ethernet protocols. SPs
offer a wide variety of these ethernet WAN services, with many different names. But all of them use a similar model,
with ethernet used between the customer site and the SPs network, as shown in the figure below.
The model shows the same ideas of how a Telco creates a leased line, but now with ethernet links and devices.
Instead of using serial cables with CSU box, or a Built-in SCU/DSU T1 card, the customer simply use of the router
ethernet port similar to our routers connection at home. Point of presence (POP) is the new term used instead of
Central office (CO), so the fiber-optic Ethernet link leaves the customer building and connects to some nearby SP
POP. Instead of using Telco switch (PSTN infrastructure) SP in this case uses new Ethernet switch where it is
compatible with Fiber cables. Remember, that Ethernet is just a Language, and as long as the physical standards
understand it, Ethernet simply works.
Ethernet WANs that Create a Layer 2 Services
There is broad number of services, with a lot of complex networking concepts needed to understand the Service
Provider network infrastructure. But for sake of this article, Ethernet Emulation and Ethernet over Multi-Protocol Label
Switching (MPLS) are 2 of the technology used by SP to carry the Ethernet. Ethernet emulations is a general term,
meaning that the service (EoMPLS) acts like as if one long fiber Ethernet cable or link connected between R1 and R2
as shown above, but the reality that the ethernet signal is going through the MPLS infrastructure, you can say Kind
of Ethernet Pipe.
The EoMPLS service provides:
A point-to-point connection between two customer devices
Behavior as if a fiber Ethernet link existed between the two devices
So, if you imagine two routers, with single Ethernet link between two routers, you understand what this particular
EoMPLS service does. The following figure shows how R1 and R2 connected through EoMPLS similar to the
previous figure, but Fiber-Optic is used instead of serial cable, and hiding the SP infrastructure. I have included a
serial link connection for comparison.
How Routers Route IP Packets using EoMPLS
As you might guessed, Ethernet MAC Address System with Ethernet Header and Trailer are used in each
encapsulation and discarded in each de-encapsulation process, EoMPLS WAN is no difference than Ethernet LAN in
that regard.
Each Router discards the MAC address with its Ethernet Data-Link Header and Trailer and adds a new set, as
described in the following steps where Ubuntu talks to WinXP PC based on the upper figure:
Step 1: To send the IP packet to R1, Ubuntu encapsulate the IP packet in an Ethernet frame that has the destination
MAC address of R1.
Step 2: R1 applies FCS, de-encapsulates the IP packet from the Ethernet frame, discard the old frame (Old Header
and Trailer), and encapsulates the IP packet into new Ethernet frame, with new header and trailer. R1 includes a
destination MAC address of R2s f0/0 interface, and a source MAC address of R1s f0/0 interface. finally, R1 forwards
the frame over the EoMPLS service to R2 as a next-hop.
Step 3: R2 applies FCS, de-encapsulates the IP packet from the Ethernet frame, discard the Old frame,
encapsulates the IP packet into a new Ethernet frame that has destination MAC address of WinXP, and forwards the
Ethernet frame to WinXP PC.
Accessing the Internet
The most known 3 WAN technologies used to gain access to the internet:
Leased Line T1 and T3
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL)
And Cable TV (CATV)
Leased lines meant for Business and the other 2 WAN technologies meant to for home and small business only.
Internet considered as Large Multiple WANs
Internet is simply one huge TCP/IP network. In fact, the name Internet comes from the core network layer protocol:
Internet Protocol. The internet includes many LANs, and because the Internet spans the globe, it of course needs
WAN links to connect all these different LANs or ISP sites together.
As a network of networks, the Internet is actually owned by countless companies and people. The Internet includes
most every enterprise TCP/IP network and huge number of home-based networks, as well as a huge number of
individuals from their phones and other wireless devices.
ISP cooperate among each other to create a mesh of links between each other on the Internet core, so that no matter
through which ISP a particular company or person connects, some path exists to every device. ISP networks connect
to both their customers, as well as each other, so that IP packets can flow from every customer of every ISP to every
other customer of every other ISP.
WAN Links as Internet Access Links
Internet uses a large number of WAN links. Some Home and Businesses connect to ISP1, others connect to ISP2,
and Cell phones connect to the Wireless carrier which has internet access as well. All these devices links go by the
same name Internet Access Links. Businesses often use lease lines (these days as Virtual Leased Lines with VPN),
connecting their Router to the ISP Router. Consumers often use technologies like DSL and Cable for Internet Access
Links. These technologies use cabling that already installed in most homes, making these services somewhat
inexpensive for home users. DSL uses the analog phone lines that already installed in homes, while cable internet
uses the cable TV (CATV) cable.
Some businesses use DSL and cable connections. Some DSL services even provide Symmetric connections as well
with equal Upstream and Downstream, only at some locations.
Digital Subscriber Line
DSL creates relatively short (miles long, not ten of miles) high-speed link WAN between a Telco customer and an ISP.
It uses the single-pair phone line. DSL does not replace PPP Leased Lines or EoMPLS Ethernet Leased Lines. Most
of the time, DSL supports only asymmetric speeds.
DSL Access Multiplexer
At the Telco Central Office, DSLAM splits the single-pair cable to 2 channels: One out the data over to an Internet
Router, and another One out to the voice signal to the Voice switch called Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN).
Cable Internet
Cable internet takes full advantage of existing cabling, using the existing cable TV (CATV) to send data. In general,
Cable and DSL internet connections use asymmetric rate, sending data faster on the downstream than the upstream,
which works better than symmetric speeds for most consumer locations. CATV does not replace leased Lines;
instead focus on the short WAN links from a customer to an ISP. In terms of cabling, here the phone cable has been
replaced by coaxial cable, and the DSL modem box been replaced by a cable modem.
Next: Understanding IP Routing Concept
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About Imad Daou
He is the founder of CCNA HUB, a CCNA Training HUB to help CCNA students get certified. Imad has more than 10
years of IT experience as Field Service and Consulting Engineer. A+, Network+, Server+, Security+, Storage+, HP,
Dell, and IBM Hardware Certified. He's a Professional SMB IT Consultant.
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