Carrier Ethernet Application Notes
Carrier Ethernet is defined by a number of standards and recommendations from multiple organizations such as the Metro Ethernet Forum, IEEE and ITU-T. Described simply, Carrier Ethernet enables predictable, cost-effective delivery of a variety of services. The technology standardizes interfaces, formats and baseline performance characteristics and includes many technological advances that set Carrier Ethernet apart from standard Ethernet. These advances simplify deployment and enable new levels of multi-vendor interoperability.
As a leading vendor in the Carrier Ethernet market, Ciena has developed several distinguishing technological characteristics that we refer to as True Carrier Ethernet. These characteristics build upon the Carrier Ethernet foundation and are realized in features that are deployed throughout the data, control and management planes of our products. Features such as exceptional performance, scalability, resiliency and manageability enable optimal delivery of high-bandwidth Business, Transport and Residential services.
The documents in this section provide in-depth descriptions of Carrier Ethernet and the specific innovations and capabilities of True Carrier Ethernet as defined by Ciena.
Universal Broadband Access
(pdf)
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds programs to build universal, sustainable access to broadband Internet services that foster education, public safety, government efficiency, and commercial activity. This vision for universal, high-performance broadband requires network operators to address the unique needs of a wide range of network users by constructing a full-service metro network leveraging existing technologies—such as Ethernet and OTN—to provide rapidly scalable and reliable service.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 funds programs to build universal, sustainable access to broadband Internet services that foster education, public safety, government efficiency, and commercial activity. This vision for universal, high-performance broadband requires network operators to address the unique needs of a wide range of network users by constructing a full-service metro network leveraging existing technologies—such as Ethernet and OTN—to provide rapidly scalable and reliable service.
Leveraging Ethernet in Enterprise Campus Networks
(pdf)
The proliferation of rich media content and the growing adoption of IP telephony, interactive video, and other time-sensitive, bandwidth-intensive business and educational applications are pushing enterprise campus networks to the limit. A Carrier Ethernet solution allows organizations to support these applications more effectively.
The proliferation of rich media content and the growing adoption of IP telephony, interactive video, and other time-sensitive, bandwidth-intensive business and educational applications are pushing enterprise campus networks to the limit. A Carrier Ethernet solution allows organizations to support these applications more effectively.
Enabling Next-Generation Healthcare Networks
(pdf)
Driven in part by federal government legislation and incentives, healthcare providers are undertaking major initiatives to improve the overall quality of patient care and reduce medical errors. These providers have no choice but to adopt new life-saving, and also bandwidth-intensive, applications like telemedicine and PACS if they are to remain competitive and relevant. To overcome this challenge in a cost-effective manner, providers increasingly are adopting optical networking and Ethernet infrastructure to ensure that their critical patient data is delivered quickly and reliably throughout their networks.
Driven in part by federal government legislation and incentives, healthcare providers are undertaking major initiatives to improve the overall quality of patient care and reduce medical errors. These providers have no choice but to adopt new life-saving, and also bandwidth-intensive, applications like telemedicine and PACS if they are to remain competitive and relevant. To overcome this challenge in a cost-effective manner, providers increasingly are adopting optical networking and Ethernet infrastructure to ensure that their critical patient data is delivered quickly and reliably throughout their networks.
From Legacy to Smart Grid
(pdf)
As utilities are seeing the demands on their networks grow tremendously, they are looking for ways to maximize network value—in terms of what it costs to operate the network, but also in the kind of value that the network contributes to the business. Ciena provides the powerful combination of the scalability and reliability of optical networking with the flexibility and low-cost economics of Ethernet to enable utilities to transition to reliable, next-generation application-driven networks.
As utilities are seeing the demands on their networks grow tremendously, they are looking for ways to maximize network value—in terms of what it costs to operate the network, but also in the kind of value that the network contributes to the business. Ciena provides the powerful combination of the scalability and reliability of optical networking with the flexibility and low-cost economics of Ethernet to enable utilities to transition to reliable, next-generation application-driven networks.
Evolving to a Smart Grid Energy Network
(pdf)
Electric power systems constitute the fundamental infrastructure of modern society. Electric power grids and distribution networks reach virtually every home, office, factory, and institution in the industrialized world. While the basic electric grid design—based on concepts established over 75 years ago—has proven useful, its evolution has not kept up with advances in technology. Numerous pressures on the electric power delivery system are converging, forcing the system to evolve in different ways.
Electric power systems constitute the fundamental infrastructure of modern society. Electric power grids and distribution networks reach virtually every home, office, factory, and institution in the industrialized world. While the basic electric grid design—based on concepts established over 75 years ago—has proven useful, its evolution has not kept up with advances in technology. Numerous pressures on the electric power delivery system are converging, forcing the system to evolve in different ways.
Wireless Backhaul Network Solutions Enabled by Ciena's Carrier Ethernet Service Delivery Portfolio
(pdf)
Mobile operators must reduce the cost-per-bit of data transport in the backhaul network while continuing to provide greater bandwidth for new high-speed data services, ensure voice quality, maintain carrier-grade OAM and provide circuit-like resilience. Carrier Ethernet technology provides a solution to these backhaul problems. With its CESD portfolio, Ciena has found a way to maximize the value of Carrier Ethernet for successful backhaul services.
Mobile operators must reduce the cost-per-bit of data transport in the backhaul network while continuing to provide greater bandwidth for new high-speed data services, ensure voice quality, maintain carrier-grade OAM and provide circuit-like resilience. Carrier Ethernet technology provides a solution to these backhaul problems. With its CESD portfolio, Ciena has found a way to maximize the value of Carrier Ethernet for successful backhaul services.
Modernization of Government and Public Networks
(pdf)
Inherently inefficient, application-specific networks require expensive capital outlay each time a new application is adopted. As demand for the application grows or declines, there is no single means to scale network capacity nor a unified vision to accommodate emerging applications that directly yield public benefit. As the network specialist, Ciena offers governments a means to evolve their networks to improve operating efficiency and public benefit.
Inherently inefficient, application-specific networks require expensive capital outlay each time a new application is adopted. As demand for the application grows or declines, there is no single means to scale network capacity nor a unified vision to accommodate emerging applications that directly yield public benefit. As the network specialist, Ciena offers governments a means to evolve their networks to improve operating efficiency and public benefit.
Delivering True Carrier Ethernet Business Services
(pdf)
A number of business trends—including the maturation of virtualization and cloud-based applications—are impacting service provider networks and service consumption. Service providers must adapt quickly in an environment where demand for services is evolving continuously, network traffic distribution is changing constantly, and bandwidth is growing continually. Pure cost reduction, although very important, is no longer sufficient; the emphasis must shift to growing top-line revenue through the creation and deployment of new Ethernet business services with greater velocity, automation, and customization.
A number of business trends—including the maturation of virtualization and cloud-based applications—are impacting service provider networks and service consumption. Service providers must adapt quickly in an environment where demand for services is evolving continuously, network traffic distribution is changing constantly, and bandwidth is growing continually. Pure cost reduction, although very important, is no longer sufficient; the emphasis must shift to growing top-line revenue through the creation and deployment of new Ethernet business services with greater velocity, automation, and customization.
The Strategic Imperative of an Ethernet Metro Aggregation Network
(pdf)
IP and Ethernet traffic is growing approximately 40 percent per year. Unfortunately, by 2010, broadband and wireless service revenues are projected to grow only 10 and three percent respectively. Service providers must better monetize this traffic growth while optimizing the service delivery architecture, and controlling both CAPEX and OPEX for rapidly growing and evolving IP and Ethernet services.
IP and Ethernet traffic is growing approximately 40 percent per year. Unfortunately, by 2010, broadband and wireless service revenues are projected to grow only 10 and three percent respectively. Service providers must better monetize this traffic growth while optimizing the service delivery architecture, and controlling both CAPEX and OPEX for rapidly growing and evolving IP and Ethernet services.
