Panel Addresses Benefits, Challenges of Carrier Ethernet

Service providers see a strong incentive to migrate toward Ethernet in their core and access networks to reduce operational cost and increase service scalability. This will enable them to get away from using and leasing expensive private lines and to deliver native packet-based services. However, this transition is riddled with problems on many levels. As the name implies, today’s session titled “Opportunities and Challenges in Deploying Carrier-Grade Ethernet Services” will analyze both sides of the issue.

“The ROI on Ethernet services is compelling,” said Art Crowe, senior director of network planning for Cbeyond Communications, who is one of the session’s panelists. “The technology yields cost reductions, while increasing bandwidth capabilities offering more flexibility when bundling applications.”

“This session will offer service providers that are evaluating Ethernet with a great opportunity to learn more about the opportunities and challenges that carriers will face with this technology,” added Crowe.

One of the challenges in deploying carrier-grade Ethernet, according to the panel, is that many carrier partners don’t yet offer Ethernet wholesale, and where it is available it’s not transparent to multiple service levels and doesn’t always support service bundling. This lack of multicarrier interoperability and transparency in many cases complicates the effective delivery of carrier-grade services end-to-end to their customers.

Panelist Mike Rouleau, senior vice president of business development and strategy with Carrier Ethernet pioneer tw telecom inc. (TWTC) said that means “there’s a question of how do you offer the same level of service wherever the customer is, and whether or not it’s over your own network or another service provider’s network.

“The MEF has been discussing this, but some large incumbent providers are not showing a lot of interest in this,” Rouleau continued, adding that no one can build infrastructure everywhere. “I’d hate to see a shifting affect on this growing opportunity” because some service providers don’t want to participate in the effort to interoperate, he concluded.

In addition, different degrees of Ethernet standards implementation in network equipment complicate interoperability within individual carrier networks.

However, despite these challenges, leading service providers still are moving ahead with innovative Ethernet offerings, using a variety of architectures and technologies to overcome the limitations of the diverse, legacy, multitechnology networks in place today.

Long term, service providers hope to see great gains in operational efficiency as the MEF continues to develop standards for Carrier Ethernet services and Operations, Administration & Maintenance (OAM) specifications that will lead to a higher degree of equipment and inter-network interoperability. Service providers are clear, however, that they are frustrated with the delays in standardization. It’s taking far too long given the demand for Ethernet services.

Also on the panel is Kevin Vachon, COO of the Metro Ethernet Forum. Leading the panel is Scott Sumner, vice president of marketing for vendor Accedian Networks.

Related Webinar:
Making Ethernet Easier

Related eBooks:
Carrier Ethernet Survival Guide
Optical+Ethernet: The Network of the Future

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