What is Carrier Ethernet?

Carrier Ethernet is an application of Ethernet technology that allows network service providers to offer Ethernet-based services to enterprise customers over wide area networks. It extends the familiar Ethernet technology beyond traditional LANs to enable Internet access and communication among business, academic, private, and government organizations across metropolitan and wide area networks.

The services and standards of Carrier Ethernet have been defined by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF). MEF has developed certification programs and promotes the global adoption of Carrier Ethernet technology through standardization and interoperability testing.

Carrier Ethernet versus Traditional Ethernet

The primary attributes that differentiate Carrier Ethernet from traditional Ethernet are:

• Service scope − A Carrier Ethernet network provides service to multiple organizations across wide areas, while traditional Ethernet LANs serve only one organization within a limited area.

• Geographic coverage − Carrier Ethernet networks span across cities and regions, extending far beyond single buildings where traditional Ethernet LANs are typically deployed.

• Connection model − In Carrier Ethernet, entire organizations connect through dedicated carrier ports, whereas in traditional Ethernet LANs, each individual user connects to a dedicated switch port.

Key Features of Carrier Ethernet

The five distinguishing features that make Carrier Ethernet suitable for service provider networks are:

• Standardized Services − Carrier Ethernet provides standardized, ubiquitous services including Ethernet Virtual Private Line (E-Line), Ethernet Virtual Private LAN (E-LAN), and Ethernet Virtual Private Tree (E-Tree).

• Reliability − Carrier-grade reliability requires fault detection and recovery capabilities without impacting end users. This is achieved through Service Operation, Administration and Maintenance (SOAM) protocols.

• Scalability − Services must scale from small business to enterprise requirements, with bandwidth options ranging from 1 Mbps to multiple Gbps to meet diverse customer needs.

• Service Management − Network providers require comprehensive monitoring, diagnostics, and management capabilities that are standards-based and vendor-independent for operational efficiency.

• Quality of Service (QoS) − Carrier Ethernet must deliver guaranteed performance levels defined in Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for voice, video, and data traffic types.

Carrier Ethernet Service Types

Carrier Ethernet offers three standardized service types to meet different connectivity requirements:

• Ethernet Virtual Private Line (E-Line) − Provides dedicated point-to-point connection between two customer sites with high transparency, low latency, and minimal frame loss.

• Ethernet Virtual Private LAN (E-LAN) − Creates a multipoint bridged network allowing any-to-any communication between customer endpoints, ideal for distributed organizations.

• Ethernet Virtual Private Tree (E-Tree) − Establishes a hub-and-spoke topology where leaf sites communicate through the root but cannot communicate directly with each other.

Conclusion

Carrier Ethernet extends familiar Ethernet technology to wide area networks, providing service providers with standardized, scalable, and reliable connectivity services. With its three service types (E-Line, E-LAN, E-Tree), it offers flexible solutions for diverse enterprise networking requirements while maintaining carrier-grade quality and management capabilities.