Background
Traditional carrier networks deliver services at very high availability. Switched data transport networks are different, as they offer new and different services based on features as statistical multiplexing and complex connectivity schemes (any point to any point).
Moreover packet transport equipment which makes the ‘machinery’ of data networking, leaving most of the ‘carrier-grade’ qualities such as quality of service, routing, provisioning, and security, to be realized by packet processing. Addressing these needs in a cost-efficient way is the challenge of all packet-based technologies as next-generation network services emerge and converge over packet-based transport solutions (such as the Internet).
The IP-MPLS approach aims at providing guaranteed services over the Internet Protocol using a multitude of networking protocols to create, maintain and handle packet data streams. While this approach solves the problem, it inevitably also creates a great deal of complexity as well as poor network utilization.
This brought about the emergence of connection-oriented Ethernet which includes a variety of methodologies to utilize Ethernet for the same functionalities otherwise based on extensive IP protocols. The challenge of carrier Ethernet is to add carrier-grade functionality to Ethernet equipment without losing the cost-effectiveness and simplicity that made it attractive in the first place. To meet this challenge, common (mainly IEEE 802.1ah/PBT and T-MPLS) connection-oriented Ethernet solutions have chosen to rid themselves of the ‘complex’ parts of packet transport to achieve stability and control.
Read more about this topic: Connection-oriented Ethernet
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