Ethernet Delivers, But Only If It's 'True'

By Scott Stewart, Director, Sales, Major Competitive Service Providers, ADTRAN Inc.

The carrier Ethernet market has been one of the exciting segments in the networking gear market, and continues to outpace that of other telecom equipment. So much so, surprised by the robust growth, Infonetics Research upped its forecasts for 2015 to $40.2 billion, from $37.5 billion.

Reasons for the buoyant market are not far to seek. Some are as follows:

• In an increasingly networked world, demand for bandwidth is soaring on account of rapidly increasing use of cell phones and other mobile devices, popularity of social networking, cloud computing and data storage, and proliferation of videos.
• Another key driver in this new dynamic is the growing pervasiveness of carrier Ethernet. The technology is a critical part of network convergence and is useful to address both tough enterprise requirements and residential triple-play offerings, besides enabling integration with wireline networks to address 3G/UMTS wireless backhaul needs.
• Carrier Ethernet also has made inroads into every part of the metro and access network infrastructure, fueling its adoption at the expense of legacy services.
• Also, Ethernet can combine exceptionally well with wavelength technologies to offer lower-cost alternatives.

Carrier Ethernet’s growing adoption also owes to the many, and significant, advantages it offers to all categories of users — from the carrier and the agent to the IT manager.

To start at the top, carriers get an inexpensive deployment, when compared with other alternatives. The savings derive from simpler layer 2 services, rather than running everything through the core routers. Ethernet transport over metro networks reduces the total cost of ownership by a whopping 61 percent, when compared with VPLS over a five-year period and 63 percent when compared with MPLS over the same period.

From the point of view of an IT manager, the benefits of carrier Ethernet are manifold, starting with its simplicity of design and its easy scalability. Managers of multisite networks can manage VLANs across the network as if they were across the hall. Low latency, guaranteed quality of service, flexible service-level agreements and seamless integration with wireline networks are some of the other advantages.

In the current market, selling carrier Ethernet is easy. Still, the key for smart agents lies in providing an end-to-end solution and getting the suitable product mix for the desired applications. Make sure your portfolio has everything that you need to compete with rivals, including great technology to address cloud-based services.

Finally, for those buyers out there here is a tip to make sure your experience of carrier Ethernet services is exemplary. Make sure you find a carrier with a true Ethernet option; many simply hand off to a routed layer 3.

Scott Stewart is director of sales – competitive service providers for ADTRAN Inc. , where he focuses on solutions that enable carriers to deliver Ethernet, internetworking and converged voice solutions into the SMB marketplace. Stewart has 15 years of telecom sales experience working with a diverse set of customers including Tier 2 and Tier 3 IOCs, wireless service providers, CLECs and MSOs. Scott is a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. He also is a members of the Channel Partners Advisory Board for 2011-12 .