Carrier scale ethernet

Ethernet's ubiquity in both the enterprise and residential markets coupled with the universal existence of mature low-cost technology to implement it is driving the need for Ethernet solutions in the wide area network (WAN) environment. Part of this challenge is to deliver scalable solutions that can support a basket of services from simple point-to-point connectivity through to virtual private LAN services. Today this is being achieved using a number of technologies including synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH), asynchronous transfer mode (ATM), multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), and of course native Ethernet.