Bob Metcalfe leads launch of Carrier Ethernet 2.0

Bob Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, led a set of presentations launching a new generation of Ethernet: Carrier Ethernet 2.0 (CE 2.0). Metcalfe said: "Perhaps most remarkable is that, almost 40 years later, the growth of Ethernet is so strong and innovation is still hard at work. You know, every time we look at a reinvention of Ethernet we are always left with the same conclusion: this is just the beginning."

MEF President Nan Chen explained how the first generation of CE standardised Ethernet services for Service Providers and carriers. He said: "CE 1.0 is about standardisation of Ethernet services. CE 2.0, which is compatible to 1.0, is characterised by three powerful and standardised features: multiple Classes of Service (also known multi-CoS), interconnect and manageability over eight services, which is more than twice as many supported in 1.0."

Chen said that the new services "standardise performance objectives across a variety of geographic performance tiers and applications. This results in improved quality of service and optimised efficiency on a global scale."

For example, Chen said: "the mobile backhaul implementation agreement creates a standard for efficient and reliable 4G mobile backhaul networks and services."

MEF board chairman Mike Volgende said: "Support of multiple Classes of Service itself is not new. Rather, it's standardisation with performance objectives for each service class defined which is new. So now you know what performance you can expect for each class supported. This means you can have consistent performance levels and associated SLAs no matter who you interconnect with."

Volgende said that cloud services providers would benefit because: "Efficient service delivery translates directly to cost savings and quality delivery of high-performance applications.

"Carrier Ethernet 2.0 represents a significant milestone in the industry partnering to enable delivery of next-generation Ethernet standards to the global marketplace."

Metcalfe concluded: "We would encourage everyone to join us here at MEF in changing the world again, with a new generation of Ethernet – CE 2.0."