Data Circuit Metro Ethernet

DESCRIPTION

A Metro Ethernet is a computer network based on the ethernet standard and which covers a metropolitan area. It is commonly used as a metropolitan access network to connect remote campuses/locations to a Wide Area Network established via a carrier.  Typically UCF uses this transport technology to connect branch or remote campuses/locations to the main campus to access UCF data resources, Internet2, Florida LambdaRail, and the commodity Internet.  An ethernet interface is much less expensive than a Synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) such as the TDM based Synchronous optical networking [Sonet] and Plesiochronous digital hierarchy (PDH) interface of the same bandwidth. Ethernet also supports high bandwidths with fine granularity, which is not available with traditional SDH connections. Another distinct advantage of an ethernet-based access network is that it can be easily connected to the customer network, due to the prevalent use of ethernet at universities. Therefore, bringing ethernet in to the Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) introduces advantages to both the service provider and the university.

FUNCTIONALITY LIST
Ethernet MAN uses only layer 2 switches for all of its internal structure. This allows for a very simple and inexpensive design, and also for a relatively simple initial configuration. This service offers transparent tunneling of traffic through the use of virtual LANs as “point to point” or “multipoint to multipoint” circuits. Combined with features such as VLAN Stacking (also known as VLAN tunneling), and VLAN translation, this service provides isolation of users’ traffic from each other and from the core network internal signaling traffic. Ethernet is constantly evolving and has now carrier class features with the recent addition of IEEE 802.1ad (provider bridges) and IEEE 802.1Qay (provider backbone transport). Spanning-tree, broadcast packets and dynamic mac learning are disabled and sub 50ms failover features are introduced.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Metro Ethernet is based on and follows IEEE 802.3 protocols

INCLUDED SERVICE COMPONENTS – OVERVIEW:
This service includes full maintenance and repair. If provided directly by UCF Telecommunications, Telecommunications provides the first, second, and third tier support. If the service is off-campus (Wide Area Network), UCF Telecommunications provides first and second tier support with the carrier(s) providing the final third tier support.

OPTIONAL SERVICE COMPONENTS – OVERVIEW:
Metro Ethernet can be provided in many bandwidths and each bandwidth having a cost.  Metro Ethernet prices vary with the carriers due to contract negotiations.  Please contact the Service Desk to submit a request that includes the bandwidth needed (5, 10, 15, to 900 Mbps or 1 to 10 Gbps) and a price will be offered.