Ethernet Access

The exponential growth of Ethernet-based services is creating a challenge for service providers and operators of metropolitan and wide area networks. These new Ethernet-based data networks typically require a clear demarcation point at the customer premises to monitor and enforce SLA agreements, and to provide adequate service control using OAM capabilities. Furthermore, these networks need to support existing cash-generating legacy services, such as TDM voice trunks or other TDM or analog services.

Today, service providers still use their extensive deployment of SDH/SONET ring infrastructure to transport traffic in the metropolitan area network (MAN). DSL is used for smaller customers with lower bandwidth and less stringent reliability demands.

Recently, however, service providers have begun to deploy new high speed Metro Ethernet networks that are optimized for extending high speed data traffic to end users. Connection of the end users to these Metro Ethernet networks is mainly done using fiber or wireless links with Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet interfaces at the customer premises.

RAD’s EtherAccess® strategy aims to provide the same customer experience and Ethernet service attributes regardless of the Ethernet access technology used. By implementing EtherAccess, the provider can extend the network's reach to as many customers as possible, optimizing the Ethernet access connection for all available infrastructures – fiber, PDH/SDH/SONET or wireless – and adjusting it to the customer's bandwidth requirements.

RAD's most economical and least complicated solution to the problem of running Ethernet traffic over a TDM/SDH/SONET transport network has been the deployment of compact interface converters. RAD offers a full range of 10/100BaseT Ethernet-to-PDH/SDH/SONET converters, from E1/T1 through 4/8/16 x E1/T1 and up to STM-4/OC-12. Using single or bonded copper connections, these products support granular Ethernet bandwidth delivery, offering simple, cost-effective connection between LANs and the access network.

The Egate-20 and Egate-100 serve as a central solution, aggregating the various Ethernet over TDM bundles and mapping each to a VLAN over the packet-switched network.

Lately, Ethernet service over fiber metro networks has been gathering momentum. The main drivers of this development are considerably reduced Capex, high speed capabilities with fine service granularity, and the desire to maintain a protocol uniformity between the customer and provider networks to eliminate interworking complexity and overhead. RAD’s Ethernet network termination units (E-NTUs) enable service providers to implement an Ethernet-based access Local Loop. These dedicated, managed devices serve as a demarcation between the customer premises and the carrier’s network. They incorporate traffic management functionality, such as rate limiting, and perform class of service differentiation through VLAN tagging/stacking. VLAN support allows the operator to separate each user’s traffic and offer services, such as interoffice LAN connectivity, Internet access and secure virtual private networks (VPNs). This approach extends the service provider’s reach over fiber, facilitating management of differentiated services up to the customer premises.

Ethernet OAM (operation, administration and maintenance) is a cornerstone in the transformation of Ethernet into a carrier-class technology. Ethernet OAM enables Ethernet service providers to proactively monitor their service, thus minimizing their operational expenses. End-to-end OAM performance measurements provide the service provider with an essential tool to monitor SLA end-to-end and guarantee that the customer receives the SLA that has been contracted. With its high level fault management, diagnostics and proactive service monitoring, the Ethernet NTU provides intelligent demarcation essential for minimizing operational costs.