|
A concise tutorial on Metro Ethernet technology concepts and application environments
The forces behind Metro Ethernet have been developing for years. In the 1990s, telecom companies, utility companies and PTTs built thousands of miles of high performance fibre optic infrastructure, to connect major phone company and service provider facilities worldwide. These core transport networks are generally underused and are capable of handling huge amounts of voice, data and video traffic along with a wealth of high-end digital commerce and entertainment services.
In the end user realm, the ongoing drive for better IT services means that businesses and home users have deployed increasing powerful computers, data storage and digital devices. Users now have a large and ever-growing need for network delivered services and digital content. But up until recently, there has been one significant obstacle to the full realization of the Internet paradigm.
What's holding the Internet back?
If you're looking at this from the core transport network's perspective, the problem area is called the 'last mile" . But from the customer's standpoint, it's the 'first mile" , the critical bridge between metropolitan multi-tenant buildings and the high capacity resources of the wide area backbone network.
Historically, metropolitan access networks have not kept pace with the bandwidth in wide area transport networks or the high-speed local area networks within buildings and campus sites. Dial-up modem and first generation ADSL broadband connections in today's access networks just aren't fast enough for today's user applications and network access needs. Leased line access connections for businesses also have their drawbacks. Leased lines are very expensive, inflexible and not well suited to today's dynamic Ethernet-based applications.
There's a bottleneck in access networks and what's worse, today's digital services and applications must operate in a highly fragmented patchwork of communications systems that include separate data, phone, cable, video, CCTV, and security networks that are not well integrated, compatible or cost effective.
The need for high speed universal connectivity is here, but the access network between the core transport network and the residential and business users has been held back by regulatory issues, PTT monopolies, and ADSL limitations.
The ultimate first mile solution
The solution to this problem is found in a readily available network standard called Metropolitan Ethernet. Ethernet is a reliable low cost, network technology that completely dominates today's local area networks in homes and all sizes of businesses. With over 300 million Ethernet connections in use around the world today, Ethernet is a mature and well-understood technology. Given its success in local networks, it was only a matter of time before Ethernet made its way into first-mile access networks.
Today, Ethernet is being deployed as the ultimate solution to the first mile problem on a global basis. It's many times faster than existing access network services and it provides a universal network infrastructure for current and future voice, video and data applications for both residential and business users of all sizes. Metro Ethernet can be installed rapidly in gas/elect water right-always and in existing copper wire plant. Metro Ethernet is real broadband - and the basis for a diverse range of viable business opportunities and profitable relationships.
|
