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An inconvenient technology

Wednesday 24 September 2008, Carrier Ethernet World Congress, Berlin

AN INCONVENIENT TECHNOLOGY AND CARRIER ETHERNET MATURITY
By Mark Lum

Day 2 at CEWC, and with a full exhibition area and a streamed conference agenda concurrently covering mobile applications and business services, delegates have more than enough to keep themselves busy. There’s a notable buzz and much enthusiasm. New media is much in evidence and several speakers — your diarist included — have been captured on vox-pops by a roving camera.

Yesterday’s closing panel session of 8 leading vendors — plus 1 vacant chair! — presented a surprisingly united front that MPLS is the chosen route to support Carrier Ethernet services and applications. Despite the singular support of Extreme Networks for an Ethernet/PBB/PBT/PBB-TE approach, all other vendors were determined that MPLS is the only true way forward for Carrier Ethernet services.

A conclusion reinforced by BT which presented an update on its 21CN program without mentioning PBT, a key feature of recent years. 21CN has been “slightly re-focused” to support new services based on customer requirements, rather than PSTN replacement. BT now has an ambitious program to expand its Ethernet services coverage from 106 UK POPs to 600 by May 2009.

And yet, in a timely newswire yesterday, we see an announcement from the US that Sprint has selected Ethernet/PBT for their mobile backhaul applications. Reminding us that this, after all, is what PBT was originally created for, rather than a replacement for MPLS. One should never manage business strategy by press release, but perhaps other carriers will also inconveniently choose Ethernet/PBB/PBT solutions for applications such as access and backhaul.

Whilst there has been much talk of simplifying MPLS at lower cost, your diarist has seen few concrete results in this area. Sprint is said to focus on operational excellence, so its selection of Ethernet/PBT for backhaul will doubtless receive closer attention from the industry at large.

So enough technology, already! Carrier Ethernet is a maturing market, signified by innovation moving away from raw technology towards operational and management areas such as service automation. And also, it must be said, signified by continuing supplier consolidation.

Today’s conference has focused on mobile applications — where the need for future Ethernet-based microwave and backhaul systems is certain (if only to save the operational costs of cabling in the RAN and on a longer timescale than many seem to expect). And also business services — where much effort is focused on ensuring that Carrier Ethernet services meets enterprise requirements. “Enterprise Ethernet”, anyone?

VPLS very much to the fore, as might be expected, and an increasing interest in Ethernet over Copper. This is surely the major opportunity in front of Carrier Ethernet: the long-term transition of a huge number of private/leased line TDM services to Ethernet. But first, the industry will need to sort out the best way to support Connection-Oriented Ethernet services. Back to inconvenient technology again!

Across the topic streams, there were over 20 sessions today: surely more than any delegate can rationally assimilate! Service provider presentations from Belgacom, Cable & Wireless, Orange, Telecom Italia, Teragate, THUS and Verizon help to keep our feet on the ground.

Many delegates here relate an extremely busy day, characterised by meetings and discussions, punctuated with presentations of choice. Tomorrow in Berlin promises to bring more of the same as we focus on access, IPTV and packet-optical; plus a special Ofcom-led seminar on Ethernet Active Line Access.

Read more of the CEWC Daily Digest, Day Two >

Posted by Pauline Rigby on September 24, 2008 8:04 PM | Permalink