MPLS Based Metro Ethernet

Networks
David Olayinka
Mosaku

October, 2014

Introduction
This presentation outlines an overview of
Traditional Metro Ethernet networks in
contrast to MPLS based Metro Ethernet in a
WAN environment.

What is Metro Ethernet?

generally defined as the network that bridges
or connects geographically separated enterprise
LANs while also connecting across the WAN or
backbone networks that are generally owned by
service providers. The Metro Ethernet Networks
provide connectivity services across Metro
geography utilising Ethernet as the core
protocol and enabling broadband applications
from Metro Ethernet Forum

What is Metro Ethernet?[Contd]

A metropolitan-area Ethernet, Ethernet MAN, or
metro Ethernet network is a metropolitan area
network (MAN) that is based on Ethernet
standards. It is commonly used to connect
subscribers to a larger service network or the
Internet. Source: Wikipedia

What is Metro Ethernet?[Contd]

The Metro Ethernet Forum [MEF] often describes
MetroE as Carrier Grade Ethernet Networks
The MEF, is the defining body for Carrier Ethernet, a global industry alliance
comprising more than 220 organizations including telecommunications service
providers, network equipment/software manufacturers, semiconductors
vendors and testing organizations.
The MEFs mission is to accelerate the worldwide adoption of Carrier-class
Ethernet networks and services.

The Ethernet Overview

Ethernet was initially developed as a LAN
standard for connecting at 10 Mbps speeds but
has subsequently been upgraded to offer 100
Mbps, 1 Gbps, and now 10 Gbps speeds over both
copper and Fibre mediums.
Ethernet is one of the most significant disruptive
innovations of this generationand has now
evolved from Local Area Networks (LANs) to the
Metro Area Network (MAN).

Attributes of Metro/Carrier
Ethernet
Carrier Grade Ethernet, or Carrier Ethernet, is a
ubiquitous, standardized service defined by
five attributes
1. Standardized services enable end users and
service providers to coordinate in order to
achieve data connectivity based on Carrier
Ethernet between multiple end user sites as
required by organizations around the globe.

Attributes of Metro/Carrier
Ethernet [Contd]
2. Scalability enables the data connectivity of any
number of multiple end user sites over any
distance, whether it be metro, regional, national or
intercontinental using Carrier Ethernet.
3. Reliability enables end users to rely on Carrier
Ethernet to run their business and mission critical
applications.
4. Service management enables service providers
to rollout, maintain and troubleshoot data

Attributes of Metro/Carrier Ethernet

[Contd]

4. Service management enables service providers

to rollout, maintain and troubleshoot data
connectivity services based on Carrier Ethernet in a
cost effective and timely manner.
5. Quality of Service enables the use of a single
network to run multiple services to multiple endusers running a wide variety of applications with
different bandwidth and latency requirements - all
by using Carrier Ethernet

Other Features of Metro-E

Metro Ethernet services can be delivered not only
over traditional (native) Ethernet-based networks
but can also over other transport technologies.
Examples of underlying transport
MPLS-based Layer 2 Virtual Private Networks
(VPNs)
IEEE 802.1ad Provider Bridges [VLAN Stacking Q-inQ]
Ethernet over SONET/SDH [EoS]

What is MPLS?
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a
mechanism in high-performance
telecommunications networks that directs data
from one network node to the next based on
short path labels rather than long network
addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a
routing table. The labels identify virtual links
(paths) between distant nodes rather than
endpoints. Wikipedia.

What is MPLS?
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a
mechanism in high-performance
telecommunications networks that directs data
from one network node to the next based on
short path labels rather than long network
addresses, avoiding complex lookups in a
routing table. The labels identify virtual links
(paths) between distant nodes rather than
endpoints. -