The Telecommunications Industry Is Experiencing a Quantum Leap in Transport Technologies, Preparing To Move from SONET/SDH Infrastructure to All Optical Networks

Business Wire, Oct 23, 2006

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43970) has announced the addition of "Ethernet Evolution: Market and Technology: Current and Future Trends" to their offering.

Ethernet-based technologies have dominated the market for support of multiple data services with various rates and types of networks (Enterprise, MAN, Core), and Ethernet has become a data transmission standard. The installed base of Ethernet networks is larger than any other alternative technology deployment in the upper spectrum of data rates, mainly due to simplicity of the Ethernet standards and the cost-efficiency of equipment.

After years of decline requirements for bandwidth, we are now witnessing a renewal of interest and growing demand for IP applications and streaming video. It is common opinion that video is becoming the major bandwidth driver, replacing voice as dominating traffic type.

Although attractive for a variety of reasons, the features of traditional Ethernet and its derivatives are not always in line with current users' requirements:

-- Manageability. Native Ethernet Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OA&M) capabilities are limited;

-- Restoration. Even with the latest improvements, the restoration time of native Ethernet networks tends towards seconds instead of required milliseconds;

-- Distance limitations.

This situation has led to the development of various flavors of Ethernet standards, and most importantly, adaptation of SONET/SDH and other transport techniques as carriers for Ethernet frames. The goal to using these carriers for Ethernet transport is to mitigate Ethernet shortcomings by bringing its features closer to those of carrier-grade technologies.

The telecommunications industry is experiencing a quantum leap in transport technologies, preparing to move from SONET/SDH infrastructure to all optical networks. There were opinions in the industry that SONET/SDH technology may not survive such an evolution. The industry trends show that Ethernet is being deployed at growing rate, but SONET/SDH research deserves more attention. This situation produced a number of questions; such as whether Ethernet development can now influence further SONET/SDH industry progress, or alternative ways to transport Ethernet frames will result in even more erosion on SONET/SDH.

The proliferation of transport networks based on SONET makes it logical to assess possible Ethernet-SONET symbiosis: Ethernet for data transmission and SONET as an Ethernet carrier. This report analyzes technical and marketing aspects of the dependency between these two drivers within the telecommunications industry.

This report analyzes the industry's position on the relationship between Ethernet and SONET/SDH, feedback nature of their development, as well as the role of the alternative solutions in Ethernet transport. A multitude of factors influence Ethernet -SONET/SDH relationship, many of which are addressed in the report.

Market forecasting is also included.

The primary conclusion is that SONET-based transport methods are developing together with alternative ways to transport Ethernet signals. At the present time, SONET is leading the market for Ethernet transport. The feedback nature of SONET - Ethernet relationship exists as an industry trend, i.e., Ethernet proliferation calls for further SONET R&D and implementation. Ethernet has become a driver to develop and implement SONET features that make this technology adaptive not only to voice but to data transmission as well.

Audience:

This report is written for a wide audience of IT and telecommunications professionals who are involved in Ethernet services, network design and implementation. It also provides useful information for Ethernet and optical equipment vendors.

Key Topics Covered Include:

-- Traditional Ethernet

-- Ethernet Standards And Growth Of Market

-- SONET/SDh

-- SONET As Ethernet Carrier - Overview

-- Virtual Concatenation (VCAT) Technologies and Associated Techniques

-- Packet Over SONET

-- Classification of the EoS Transport Methods

-- Alternative Technologies

-- Methods Comparison: Ethernet Transport

-- Topological Examples

-- Transport Methods Technical-Economical Comparison: Examples

-- Vendors' Community Position

-- Service Providers Position

Companies Mentioned Include:

-- Agere Systems

-- Agilent Technologies

-- Ample Communications

-- Advance Micro Devices

-- Applied Micro Circuits Corp.

-- Atheros Communications

-- Broadcom

-- Cypress Semiconductor

-- EzChip

-- Galazar

-- Ikanos

-- Intel

-- Infineon

-- Intersil

-- Multilink

-- Motorola

-- Metalink, LTD

-- Nuvation

-- PMC-Sierra

-- Radlan

-- Radiata

-- SonTera Communications

-- Sandburst

-- Texas Instruments

-- Transwitch

-- Vitesse Semiconductor

-- West Bay Semiconductor

-- Zarlink Semiconductor

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c43970