30 April 2004, Geneva - ITU has approved a set of global industry standards (ITU-T Recommendations) that will extend the flexibility
and simplicity of Ethernet to carrier networks. The standards outline a way for Ethernet – the local area network (LAN) technology
of choice - to be provided as a service to link any number of endpoints in a wide area network (WAN), or simply as a service
delivery mechanism. This significantly reduces the cost and complexity of access technology for both end-users and service
providers.
The news marks Ethernet’s progress from a LAN connectivity technology to a carrier class service delivery technology.
Being able to offer Ethernet services means that carriers will be able to offer considerably improved flexibility to customers. It
will now be possible for carriers using the new specifications to be able to offer bandwidth from 10Mbit/s to 1Gbit/s. As well as
increased flexibility, the standards offer customers a much simpler and lower cost interface. Further, the standards provide reduced
operation complexity and improved scalability for carriers.
The work according to Peter Wery, chairman of the ITU Study Group responsible, is driven by common sense: “Ethernet is the access
interface of choice. 95 per cent of LAN infrastructure is based on Ethernet. It’s quite simply the most logical next step – to
extend its reach beyond the enterprise.”
The Recommendations (G.8010/Y.1306, G.8011/Y.1307, G.8012/Y.1308, G.8012.1/Y.1308.1, G.8021/Y.1341) allow enterprises to exist on
one Ethernet based LAN across a number of locations without the need to interface with different technology – Frame Relay or ATM for
example - between sites. So, the flexibility of Ethernet can be extended over the WAN – without the need for additional customer
premises equipment, or indeed any additional equipment at the carrier end.
Wery adds: “This new set of Recommendations describes Ethernet in a way that allows it to be deployed in a carrier network, over
ATM, MPLS, SDH etc. It’s important because it provides both end-users – from SMEs upwards – and service providers with a simple,
cost-effective and yet robust and scaleable solution. This is exactly what the market needs.”
Note to technical editors:
G.8021/Y.1341 - This Recommendation specifies both the functional components and the methodology that should be used in order to
specify Ethernet transport network functionality of network elements; it does not specify individual Ethernet transport network
equipment as such.
G.8011/Y.1307 - This document describes a framework for network-oriented characteristics of Ethernet services.
G.8012/Y.1308 - This Recommendation specifies the Ethernet UNI and the Ethernet over Transport NNI. The detailed requirements are
specified in a number of ITU-T Recommendations, IEEE Standards and IETF RFC.
G.8012.1/Y.1308.1- This Recommendation defines the transport architecture for carrying Ethernet characteristic information over
dedicated-bandwidth, point-to-point connections, provided by SDH, ATM, PDH, MPLS, or OTN server layer networks. This type of service
is referred to as Ethernet Private Line (EPL) service. The Recommendation uses the modeling methodology described in ITU-T Rec.
G.805 and G.809 and uses the functional components defined in the technology specific server layer network Recommendations.
G.8010/Y.1306 - This Recommendation was consented in October 2003 and is the first in the series of Ethernet and Ethernet over
Transport related Recommendations. It describes the functional architecture of Ethernet networks using the modelling methodology
described in ITU-T Recommendation G.805 and G.809. The Ethernet network functionality is described from a network level viewpoint,
taking into account an Ethernet network layered structure, client characteristic information, client/server layer associations,
networking topology, and layer network functionality providing Ethernet signal transmission, multiplexing, routing, supervision,
performance assessment, and network survivability. The functional architecture of the server layer networks used by the Ethernet
network is not within the scope of this Recommendation. Such architectures are described in other ITU-T Recommendations or IETF
RFCs.
G.8010/Y.1306 is based on the Ethernet specifications in IEEE Std. 802.1D-2003, IEEE Std. 802.1Q-2003, IEEE Std. 802.3-2002 and
developments of provider bridged networks. Furthermore the architectural aspects of provider bridges currently being defined in IEEE
P802.1ad task force are taken into account.
G.8010/Y.1306 defines Ethernet maintenance entities, but the specific impact on the transport functions of connection monitoring in
a connectionless layer network is not addressed. Ethernet network survivability is intended for inclusion in a future version.
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