Undergraduate
Student: Estella
Kang
Graduate Student: Matt
Powers
Professor: David
Starobinski
MetroPolitan Ethernet Networks Oveview:
Metro Area
Networks can be described as networks which connect cities or large urban
concentrations in a larger metropolitan area. These networks, for the most
part, are currently using a backbone infrastruture entitled SONET/SDH. TDM-based
SONET/SDH networks function superbly for what they were designed for: providing
prestine voice and data service to the "pre-internet" world. Today as the
hunger for more bandwith continues to grow, the telecommunications industry
has been forced to seek out new solutions to provide this addional capacity.
As demand for web applications, distributed
computing and multimedia has increased, the need for greater WAN bandwith
has presented itself. Many companies have taken steps to increase capacity,
but this has proven to only be a temporary solution. While WAN bandwith
has nearly doubled in the last 5 years, it has not kept pace with the
demands of the consumer. Ethernet technology has long been well understood
as the anecdote to WAN's limitations. Only now has this technology evolved
into Metropolitan Ethernets which have the ability to improve upon current
WAN shortcomings. Metro Ethernet services have the ability to deliver
converged voice, video, and data networking. Corporate America is already
reporting a growing demand for these point to point LAN extension services.
Price has become a large role in the deamnd of this new technology. As
a resulte, gone are the days of flat rates for private lines as ethernet
service charges are usage based, making the technology very attractive.
As long as providers continue to develop a strong customer base for cheaper,
and customers benefit from a more competitive service price at the same
time, Metropolitan Ethernets will only continue to be more prominent in
todays marketplace.
Highlights of Metro Ethernet Solutions:
- Bandwith Efficiency and Flexibility - bandwith is aded "as needed", customers can be charged only for bandwith they use. Scalibility can range from 1Mbps to 10 Gbps, and even ultra high speeds of 100Gbps.
- Cost Effectiveness - Ethernet equipment can cost anywhere from 40% to 50% less than its counterparts, such as SONET/SDH and ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode). Due to its board usage in almost all networking products the Ethernet interface itself is inexpensive.
- Network Service and Management - Ethernet management, updates and service can be done remotely using software unlike its predecessors SONET/SDH which require technicians to make service calls.
