2008•IEEE Communications MagazineRequires access
Carrier ethernet
A. Reid, Peter Willis, I. Hawkins, C. Bilton
Open publisher page 26 citations
Abstract
This article sets out the opportunity and the role of Ethernet within large-scale carrier networks. Carrier Ethernet can greatly reduce the consequences of the complexity associated with the large scale and broad scope of carriers' networks by being a cost-effective replacement for SONET/SDH. However, in order to achieve this, carrier Ethernet needs to provide the equivalent level of transparency, simplicity, and reliability currently achieved by SONET/SDH, and the emerging IEEE Ethernet standards for PBB and PBB-TE are well suited to this role. These technologies are an ideal complement to IP/MPLS for which they can provide highly cost-effective managed and guaranteed bit pipes.