Metro Ethernet

Metro Ethernet can connect business local area networks (LANs) and individual end users to a wide area network (WAN) or to the Internet. Corporations, academic institutions and government agencies in large cities can use Metro Ethernet to connect branch campuses or offices to an intranet. A typical Metro Ethernet system has a star network or mesh network topology with individual routers or servers interconnected through cable or fiber optic media.

"Pure" Ethernet technology in the MAN environment is relatively inexpensive compared with Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) or Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) systems of similar bandwidth. However, the latter technologies can be applied to Metro Ethernet in urban areas willing to devote the necessary financial resources to the task.

Getting started with Metro Ethernet

Here are additional resources on Metro Ethernet:

Metro network trends: Deploying next-gen Ethernet services: This guide looks at growing enterprise demand for Carrier Ethernet services in the metro area and how carriers can successfully deploy Ethernet architecture and services to meet business-customers' needs and increase revenue while migrating away from legacy network technologies.

Carrier Ethernet meets new enterprise metro data center needs: Telecom service providers are upgrading their metro area networks to support voice and data convergence, and enterprise networked applications and architectures. Carrier Ethernet is pulling ahead to meet enterprise data center needs for high-bandwidth, low-latency links across the metro area.

Metro Ethernet services: Switching and service attributes: Ethernet Layer 2 switching and the different metro Ethernet service concepts as introduced by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) are explained in this chapter download. This chapter covers switching basics, service attributes and parameters, and scalability and reliability challenges.

Learn more about Carrier Ethernet

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More resources from around the web: - General information, news and updates are available from the Metro Ethernet Forum. - Estella Kang offers a concise overview of Metro Ethernet technology.

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RELATED CONTENT Nortel Metro Ethernet Networks assets: Why no sale? Nortel's Metro Ethernet Network assets have been for sale for a year with no final bids. IDC analyst Eve Griliches looks at why a competing equipment... Metro network trends: Deploying next-gen Ethernet services Service providers can increase their revenue by providing Carrier Ethernet services in metro-area networks to meet enterprise customer demand. Carrier Ethernet demand rises as enterprise WAN landscape changes Carrier Ethernet services are in high demand as enterprises engineer data center consolidation. Service providers can make Ethernet services more...

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