Thursday, February 17, 2011

Metro Ethernet Explained In Easy Words For The Noob

By Lincoln Vinson


Computer networks are of different types. Computers use networks as platforms through which they connect to each other. A network will allow computers and other devices to communicate and share resources. Computer networks are normally categorized according to their scale. Examples of the networks are LANs or Local Area Networks, WANs which are Wide Area Networks and MANs which are Metropolitan Area Networks. Metro Ethernet is about deploying Carrier Ethernet technology in MANs.

There are Metro Ethernets which have been deployed in many of the world's cities. An example of a massive Metro Ethernet that servers millions of people is in Hong Kong. There are some that are privately owned ventures while others are public private projects. There are many economic benefits of having such a network for both clients and businesses. It takes away the inconvenience and cost of every business having to set up its own network. The Metro Ethernet connects both individual as well as corporate clients to a MAN. For such large scale networks, Carrier Ethernet technology offers a number of benefits. It will involve lower costs as compared to other interfaces that would be required to offer similar capacities. The use of this technology also allows for higher bandwidth capacity. Domestic and corporate clients are mostly using Ethernet which makes network linking much easier. As you can see the use of Ethernet in Metropolitan networks has several advantages to both the providers as well as clients.

Higher speeds on network traffic can be achieved by incorporating Multiprotocol Label Switching or MPLS pseudowires in a Metro Ethernet setup. The MPLS option allows for the division of a sequence of data packets to follow specific paths. Each packet is labeled and this saves time for the router. Easier network management is another benefit of using MPLS, besides the higher speeds that result from the time savings mentioned. Quality control and monitoring become easier for service providers.

Metro Ethernets have several advantages over options such as DSL or wireless connection. Clients have access to more reliable and secure internet connection since they are connected directly on a dedicated line. Web and email hosting is also possible since the clients will have a static IP address allocated to them. You also get full speeds from a Metro Ethernet network unlike other shared connections. Those who require reliability should go for this kind of network since it also comes with several other benefits. Audio and video conferencing, security surveillance streaming, FTP applications and VoIP are some of the processes that Metro Ethernet is best suited for since they require high capacity.

When looking for a Metro Ethernet provider, it is important to make sure that you not only get the best price but also flexibility and quality. Shopping around will help in comparing the various offers in the market. It would also help to talk to others who are currently using Metro Ethernet or have used it in the past.




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