The evolution of carrier ethernet services-requirements and deployment case studies [next-generation carrier ethernet]

Carrier Ethernet is one of the fastest growing areas in the data communication field in recent years. In particular, the combination of MPLS core transport technologies in conjunction with IEEE 802.1ah in aggregation is one of the most interesting recent developments in the Carrier Ethernet evolution. This article provides a brief overview of the Ethernet technologies and requirements from the perspective of the service provider. We use three deployment case studies to illustrate the use of different technologies and discuss network design considerations. We identify the important factors influencing network design decisions and the future work in building Carrier Ethernet networks and services.