As Internet Protocol (IP) applications become central to corporate data and voice strategies, more and more companies are turning to Metro Ethernet – an Ethernet technology network in a metropolitan area – to implement cutting-edge services quickly and cost-effectively.
Since Metro Ethernet uses standard Ethernet protocol, the basis of most companies’ internal local area networks, it allows companies to connect to a wide range of IP-based services in a simple and scalable manner. Its simplicity, flexibility and power make Metro Ethernet the logical choice to replace older network technologies such as frame relay, ATM services and SONET.
Access To Services
Why is demand for Metro Ethernet growing so rapidly? With its high-bandwidth capacity and a relatively low cost, it enables companies whose network traffic is growing strongly to move data and voice traffic affordably across a metropolitan area. In particular, Metro Ethernet can cost-effectively support:
High-bandwidth data services: The data traffic has increased exponentially over the past several years, as organizations become increasingly reliant on the Internet for internal, supplier and customer communication; to access hosted applications, and much more.
Existing leased lines or SONET solutions are not always able to handle this traffic, creating productivity-sapping bottlenecks. At speeds of up to 10 Gbps, Metro Ethernet provides companies the bandwidth they need.
Voice services: With its larger capacities, Metro Ethernet allows users to take advantage of Voice-over-IP (VoIP) services to handle their voice traffic. VoIP can be more cost-effective than legacy phone network solutions, helping organizations reduce the cost of metro-area calls.
Video-on-demand: An increasing number of industries are tapping into multimedia services such as video-on-demand as part of their daily operations. Hospitals and medical providers, for example, now commonly send detailed medical images over their networks. Many large companies provide training via online seminars.
Triple-play services: The convergence of data, voice and video is creating demand for so-called “triple play” services that combine video with IP-based voice and high-speed Internet access. Converging these three over a single Metro Ethernet network can reduce costs and simplify deployment.
Metro Ethernet Benefits
When it comes to deploying these advanced applications, Metro Ethernet solutions provide a range of benefits over existing metro network technologies such as frame relay or ATM. These include:
Lower cost: At the heart of the provisioning of any network is the cost. Metro Ethernet services cost as much as 50% less than comparable TDM services. Metro Ethernet also provides a greater return on investment through lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and improved productivity.
Improved ease of use: Metro Ethernet is based on Ethernet, the same technology used in 98 percent of enterprise networks. What has made it attractive for local networks —robustness, cost-effectiveness and ease of use – also makes it advantageous for wide area communications. In addition, Ethernet’s convenience makes it easier to learn compared to complex solutions such as ATM.
Increased capacity: Legacy T-1 networks cannot provide the bandwidth that optical Metro Ethernet can provide. Its high speed and capacity – as much as 10 Gbps – is much better suited to in-demand, high-bandwidth applications.
Greater flexibility and scalability: An Ethernet-based backbone allows organizations to expand their LANs into WANs quickly and easily. Ethernet also allows on-demand provisioning of bandwidth, so companies can buy only what they need, then quickly “burst” their capacity should their needs suddenly change. With Metro Ethernet, this is accomplished via a quick software adjustment instead of a time-consuming and costly truck-roll.
Easier application access: The true value of any network is measured by the services and applications it provides. Metro Ethernet delivers a complete set of independent or converged services, such as Internet access, LAN extensions, and voice- and video-over IP.
Better business continuity: Metro Ethernet provides a solid backbone for an organization’s business continuity strategy, ensuring it can operate continuously through a disaster or other disruption. This is especially critical in certain industries where new regulations (such as Sarbanes-Oxley for financial services or HIPAA for hospitals and other healthcare providers) require documented business continuity plans.
Spiritel Solutions is dedicated to helping our clients reduce telecom expenses. Our team of experts reduce annual telecom spend by an average of 30% or more for voice, data and Internet service. For a free consultation, please contact us here or give us a call at 866-770-0300.
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