Ethernet in the backbone: An approach to cost-efficient core networks

Conclusion: Ethernet evolved from LAN into Metro areas covering speeds from 10 Mbps up to 10 Gbps and the next generation Ethernet speed of 100Gbps will be the enabler of Ethernet-based pure packet core networks. Carriergradeness of Ethernet-based packet architectures is the major point. A careful analysis of the required protocol features like network resilience, QoS, and OAM shows many redundancies within the layers of today's network architectures that have to be resolved shaping a new end-to-end Ethernet layer with the required scalability. A CAPEX and OPEX analysis demonstrates a considerable cost advantage of 100G-Ethernet in comparison to SDH-based solutions. The superior CAPEX performance results from a huge cost advantage of Ethernet devices and their fast price decline. The reduced switch and line card count in 100G-Ethernet networks and the efficient economics of Ethernet services are responsible for a superior OPEX performance. Therefore, it can be said that Ethernet has a promising future in core networks, not just as link technology supporting an upper routing layer, but as a complete, cost-effective, and service-oriented infrastructure layer in the area of core networks. The industry-wide efforts to cover remaining challenges also confirm this outlook.