Carrier Ethernet Testing: Overview
Carrier Ethernet technology provides carriers with end-to-end Ethernet services over wide area networks (WAN), and implements both cost and simplicity benefits. However, since Ethernet wasn't originally designed for carrier networks, many technical challenges come into play — quality of service (QoS) guarantees, rapid failover implementation, service management, and scalability to name a few. New standards and objectives were defined to address these issues, allowing carriers to effectively and reliably deploy Ethernet-based networks. As a consequence, carriers and network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) need new test procedures to validate and verify Carrier Ethernet gear, networks, and services. Ixia's solutions directly address Carrier Ethernet testing needs, allowing you to qualify your equipment and implementation.
Ixia's solutions help you test and assess your Carrier Ethernet implementation and let you answer critical questions, such as:
- Does my implementation conform to the new industry standards?
- Does my Link and Service OAM implementation allow full monitoring of my network?
- Can my Provider Bridges and Provider Backbone Bridges (PBB) scale and still meet QoS objectives?
- How can I test my Ethernet services using the ITU-T Y.1564 Ethernet service activation measurement methodology?
- How can I test to MEF 9, 14 21, and UNI-2 certification standards?
- Can I test and verify service level agreements (SLAs)?
- Is my failover implementation acceptable?
- Can my network handle IEEE 1588v2 and Synchronous Ethernet?
- How well will my carrier network interoperate with other carrier networks over external network-network interface (ENNI)?
Network equipment manufacturers and service providers use Ixia's test solutions to ensure operation and conformance to all the new challenges of Carrier Ethernet. Ixia is a market leader in Carrier Ethernet networking test solutions
