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Carrier Ethernet 2.0 and OpenFlow were the topics of discussion at the NetEvents IT forum, Hong Kong. By Pupul Dutta
Metro Ethernet Forum or MEF as it is popularly known launched the Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE 2.0) certification at a conference organized by Netevents in Hong Kong. CE 2.0 moves the ball forward by supporting multiple classes of services plus manageability across interconnected provider networks differentiating it from the simple standardized Ethernet service delivered over a single provider's network now called Carrier Ethernet 1.0. The technology also allows operators to trace the path of a service on an end-to-end basis.
The certification is useful for both the subscriber and the service provider as it enables a mutual agreement on the standard set of techniques easing the implementation in real world networks. "It's not the solution or the be all and end all technique but it is a step along the way to a seamless global Ethernet LAN and it comes in four flavors-E-line, E-LAN, E-Tree and E-Access," said Daniel Bar-Lev, Director, Certification Programs, MEF.
Divesh Gupta, Assistant Vice President of Pre-sales, PCCW Global, said, "When you look at E-Access from a customer's standpoint, it becomes important or rather necessary to provide end-to-end SLAs. In such scenarios, we provide the services over dedicated Ethernet or an E-Line or E-LAN that guarantees end-to-end latency, factor loss, availability and all kinds of SLAs that the customers demand of us."
According to Gupta, unless a company provided the last leg of end-to-end connectivity it wasn't good enough. "CE 2.0 certification will ensure that...