Download Routing to the MEN`s edge TextStart Investment in Metro Ethernet

Routing to the MEN's edge
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Investment in Metro Ethernet Network (MEN) construction is forecast to soar to
USD9.4 billion by 2010 after reaching a solid USD6.3 billion in 2007. What is driving
the rapid development of the MEN? The answer is simple-services.
MEN evolution
With its origin as a Point-to-Point (P2P) pipeline, the MEN developed into a
Multipoint-to-Multipoint (MP2MP) native Ethernet, before reaching its current status
as an MP2MP service-oriented routing MEN. The latest routing MEN adopts the same
IP/MPLS technology as the IP Core Network does, thus breaking the technological
limit and smoothing out the IP network into a flat structure, which is more flexible as to
service provision and brings "services" closer to end users, as well as enables unified
network planning, service deployment, and maintenance to reduce work load and
expenditure for the operators.
The MPLS Layer 2 VPN solution is also referred to as Ethernet over MPLS(EoMPLS).
It forms a transit solution in line with the MEN's evolution from a native Ethernet
system to a routing system. It is most suitable for small- and medium-sized networks
because: Layer 2 MPLS VPN is deployed at the Metro area to carry traffic of multiple
services from the Metro edge to the service POP for centralized service processing; the
MP2MP connection at the Metro area is provided by full-meshed Layer 2 MPLS VPN
tunnels.
As traffic volume and customer base increase, centralized service processing and
full-mesh connection cause serious scalability issues. Furthermore, the Layer 2 Metro
edge lacks the service intelligence necessary for distributed service provision and
control.
Based on EoMPLS, Huawei has proposed its service-oriented MEN routing solution
"EoMPLS+". The solution caters for both residential and business VPN services,
supports effective transportation and intelligent control, and accommodates both legacy
and future MEN features.
Huawei's MEN solution: EoMPLS+
Defining an architecture of "Layer 3 (routing) + Layer 2 (VPLS/VLL) + Clock", the
Huawei EoMPLS+ solution made its industry debut in September 2007 at the 3rd
annual Carrier Ethernet World Congress in Geneva. Designed to cater for operators'
dramatically increasing requirements for high quality multiple services, EoMPLS+
integrates and unifies VoIP, P2P, VOD, IPTV, NGN, and 3G. Moreover, significant
CAPEX and OPEX reductions arise via its FMC evolution potential. The solution fully
protects operators' investment thanks to its high capacity, reliability, application
awareness, and legacy circuit support.
Multi-access metro edge
The Huawei EoMPLS+ provides a true multi-access edge that supports ATM, MSAN,
broadband (FTTx and IP DSLAM) and mobile (2G and 3G). It thus facilitates legacy
service migration to an IP network and by doing so guarantees future development
capabilities. The unified MEN edge also simplifies network structure, thus reducing
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).
ATM networks were widely constructed years ago and have since gradually migrated
to the IP MEN because of a high TCO and a limited multi-service provision ability. The
Huawei EoMPLS+ supports a total ATM migration solution inclusive of: ATM PWE3,
which provides access to the ATM Media Gateway (MG) and legacy ATM network;
ATM Interworking Function (IWF), which represents a proprietary Huawei technology
that can map ATM traffic to Ethernet traffic to realize smooth migration.
In many European and Latin American countries, a large number of ATM DSLAMs
exist across networks. To protect previous investment, the ATM DSLAMs need to be
migrated to the IP network. The Huawei EoMPLS+ first maps ATM traffic to Ethernet
traffic using ATM IWF. It is then transported directly to the IP BRAS (such as ME60)
for service processing, thus negating the need for the ATM BRAS. Previous ATM
DSLAM investment is protected, and smooth migration is realized.
IP DSLAM (ADSL/ADSL2/ADSL2+/VDSL), FTTx (GPON/EPON) and Ethernet
switches form the mainstream first-mile for broadband services. The S+C VLAN
delineates and separates broadband users and services to give comprehensive control
and management. For broadband access, Huawei provides flexible bandwidth and
equipment choices with versatile service deployment methods to enable high-quality
broadband service provision.
Huawei's EoMPLS+ supports phase synchronization (IEEE1588 V2 in 2009) and
frequency synchronization that satisfy 3GPP 50ppb requirements. For frequency
synchronization, Adaptive Clock Recovery (ACR) and Ethernet clock synchronization
solutions are available. The synchronization solutions enable 2G and 3G (ATM, E1,
and IP) services to be carried over the MEN, so as to meet the increased demands of the
FMC era.
In the Huawei EoMPLS+ solution, the Multi-Service Access Node (MSAN) service
can be connected to the MEN by "TDM over IP" (TDMoIP), which allows incumbent
operators to migrate their voice service smoothly to IP MEN.
High service QoE
Layer 2 MEN solution provides a pipe to carry traffic from the UPE to the SR/BRAS. It
describes a simple and effective means of transportation, yet possesses little service
intelligence. Layer 3, however, provides a distributed service edge to enable large scale
service deployment and easy service control. Huawei combines Layer 2 and Layer 3 in
EoMPLS+, and thereby facilitates a customized solution for each service type. This
guarantees a high QoE. The solution's details for each type of service are outlined
below:
High Speed Internet (HSI) generally presents a client-server traffic model. The traffic is
carried by the Layer 2 pipe to the BRAS, where service intelligence features are
implemented such as authentication, user/service identification, and service policy.
Voice service media stream presents a full-meshed traffic model. In the future, IMS
will introduce a large volume of P2P voice traffic, for which Layer 3 will be applied.
This will allow VoIP users to be routed directly to each other in the MEN, enhancing
service quality through fewer delays and saving network resources by not traveling
through the IP core each time.
The VOD service utilizes the Set Top Box (STB) to obtain video streams from the Edge
Server (ES), which stores frequently requested video information. ES is deployed close
to end users–generally at the edge of the MEN–in order that most video streams travel
the shortest distance. Since STB and ES need to be routed to each other, Layer 3
support is necessitated at the MEN edge to realize this service model. Furthermore,
Layer 3 enables intelligent service control, which allows Call Admission Control (CAC)
to be implemented to limit the bandwidth consumed by VOD.
BTV is a multicast service and, as a multicast mechanism, the IP multicast (PIM SSM)
is both simple and effective. It provides high security, rapid fault location, and fast
service convergence. Via BFD for PIM, Huawei EoMPLS+ enables 200ms recovery.
The Layer 3 solution is independent of the network topology and supports large-scale
BTV deployment by solving the scalability issues inherent in the Layer 2 solution.
As a key MEN service, VPN is traditionally provided by the DDN/ATM/FR network,
although is currently being migrated toward the Ethernet to considerably reduce costs
and supply more services. Business VPN can be P2P Layer 2 VPN (also known as
E-LINE), MP2MP Layer 2 VPN (also known as E-LAN), and Layer 3 VPN. Layer 3
VPN describes the most flexible and scalable solution for large-scale International
Corporations such as Toyota, which has hundreds of branch offices globally. The
Huawei EoMPLS+ supports all three types of VPNs.
In terms of business VPN provision, the SLA forms the most important service index
and usually covers three major elements: service deployment, QoS index, and service
availability. The Huawei EoMPLS+ provides multi-access edge to meet enterprises'
specific access requirements and to facilitate rapid deployment.
With respect to QoS guarantees, the Huawei EoMPLS+ supports not only Logical
User-Network Interface (UNI) scheduling, but also Network Node Interface (NNI)
scheduling. Also referred to as VPN H-QoS, NNI marks a Huawei proprietary
technology that enables at least four levels of scheduling: port, TE, VPN, and service.
When UNI and NNI scheduling are implemented at both ends of a VPN, each VPN is
guaranteed circuit-like end-to-end bandwidth.
Service availability is ensured through comprehensive OAM tools and the reliability
solution. The former provides swift fault detection and location, while the latter
provides rapid switchover and recovery.
Service protection and a quick recovery mechanism embody important service QoE
indices. For example, an instance of IPTV service disruption that results in pixilation
lasting more than 400ms represents a negative user experience. If recovery occurs
under this time, the impact on user experience becomes negligible. The Huawei
EoMPLS+ solution ensures 200ms network recovery, even during network failure.
The 200ms recovery time is realized by the end-to-end reliability solution comprising
comprehensive protection and recovery measures. Furthermore, it focuses on all three
layers: equipment, network, and service. The holistic protection mechanism gives the
MEN the same reliability as legacy networks such as TDM or ATM.
Intelligent control
When only data services exist–for example, Internet service over MEN–traffic type and
volume are predictable, and operators can control network resources relatively easily.
The current situation, however, means that it is extremely difficult to accurately
understand the nature of network traffic using traditional network management tools.
The Huawei EoMPLS+ provides intelligent control that is application awareness based.
Information regarding every service type is collected and relayed back to operators.
Knowledge of each service's profile enables operators to implement a designated
control policy or efficiently deploy VAS.
An additional advantage of intelligent control is that it can interact with security
applications such as firewalls. Based on its application-awareness, the security solution
covers not only equipment and networks, but also applications.
Designed after considering every detail of service provision, the Huawei EoMPLS+
solution is now enjoying worldwide commercial deployment. In Germany, QSC's
ATM network has migrated to the IP MEN. It now provides much better scalability and
service intelligence, and TCO has in turn been reduced. In Malaysia, TM is running a
successful business VPN service over the MEN constructed by Huawei. In India,
Reliance is establishing the largest global MEN to carry a wealth of rapidly developing
new services.
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