Delivering Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) and IP Services with Converged L2 and L3 Access Device THE NEED Communications Service providers (CSPs) have been transitioning from legacy SONET/SDH to IP and Ethernet networks to optimize and leverage their Metro network infrastructure to support future services, and consequently protect existing investment. Additionally, they are continuously pursuing ways to enrich their business, residential, and mobile service offerings in order to remain competitive as well as addressing customer demand for faster and cost effective connectivity. The stride for competitiveness goes hand in hand with OpEx savings. Converged L2 MEF CE2.0 and IP services play a key role in this endeavor. IP services are a key pillar in this service offering taking into consideration their projected healthy pace growth. The significant growth in IP services is fueled by surging data, video and mobile broadband traffic, and cloud services. Additionally, enterprises use their networks to transform their business, and look IP as a means to improve revenue, operations, profitability, and the customer experience. THE CHALLENGES 1. Deliver L2 and IP services via a single access device with high-speed (10GE) line rate performance 2. Meet customer experience expectations - support the visibility of various traffic flows to ensure SLAs - offer customers a comprehensive view of their service attributes including QoS, bandwidth, availability, statistics, history and compliance with KPIs and SLAs 3. Reduce the cost of provisioning and OAM 4. Provide integrated management and deployment with reduced CapEx and OpEx for rolling out L2 and L3 services MRV S SOLUTION MRV s solution is based on its OptiSwitch Series, a whole product line of converged L2 MEF Carrier Ethernet 2.0 and L3 service access devices that are deployed by the world s most prominent Tier 1 CSPs. OptiSwitch enables CSPs to transform their Metro networks for a wide range of next-generation services from IP-based LTE mobile backhaul to wholesale Ethernet to cloud access services. OptiSwitch solution is empowered by Master-OS, a Linux-based operating system which provides ease of operation across products and applications throughout the network. Coupled with Pro-Vision, MRV s powerful and intelligent service delivery and provision software, OptiSwitch enables unprecedented time-to-market service deployment and network visibility for CSP s networks of any size. 1
OptiSwitch enables the convergence of L2 and L3 capabilities and offers CSPs the opportunity to introduce a wide range of services using single access device. OptiSwitch includes best-of-breed Ethernet switching & routing technologies that support L2 Carrier-Ethernet 2.0 and hardware-based L3 IP forwarding, security, OAM, and advanced traffic management & QoS capabilities. This enables both IP and Ethernet managed services with highly differentiated SLAs to be created, provisioned, monitored and controlled, with just a single platform deployment and consequently addresses CSPs challenges while taking into consideration their future needs. L2 & L3 VPN SERVICES IN A NUTSHELL L2 services enable transparent LAN services by extending enterprise LAN across the Metro network using point-topoint, multipoint and tree connectivity options. When deploying L2 services (refer to figure 1) the customer routing domain is managed by himself and consequently is hidden from the CSP. L2 services support various applications (e.g. Mobile Backhaul, Business Ethernet, access to cloud services) that require basic transport connectivity (Q-in-Q VLANs, IPv4/IPv6 IP/MPLS). From Sub-FE to 10GE services with multi-layer OAM tools Figure 1: L2 VPN Service L3 services (L3 VPN and Dedicated Internet Access) are offered by CSPs who rely on and leverage IP networking protocols (e.g. IPv4/IPv4 Static/Dynamic Routing, VRF-Lite, etc.) for the delivery of IP data, voice, and video traffic. Figure 2: L3 VPN Service In L3 VPN service delivery (refer to figure 2) the customer shares his Routing domain with the CSP. The L2 access device enables the customer to access the CSP network through the PE (Provider Edge). Additionally, the L2 access device advertises the site s local routes to the PE and as well as learns the remote VPN routes. The PE sole purpose is to maintain VPN routes for the VPNs to which it is directly attached. 2
Table 1 summarizes the major attributes for L2 and L3 VPN service offerings. Table 1: L2 VPN and L3 VPN Services DELIVERING L3 SERVICES WITH OPTISWITCH OptiSwitch enables the delivery of DIA (Dedicated Internet Access) and L3 VPN, the CSP s key L3 service offering, that are outlined below. DEDICATED INTERNET ACCESS SERVICES WITH OPTISWITCH SERIES DIA is the most standard service CSPs provide to business or residential customers. DIA service can be offered to a business customer using the same or different access device deployed by the CSP for L2 or L3 VPNs. DIA service usually combined with NAT (Network Address Translation) that provides some level of security and address preservation capabilities. OptiSwitch Series combines Carrier Ethernet with IP capabilities for the delivery of DIA services. OptiSwitch enables Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to deploy DIA services by using either of the following protocols: static routing to default-gateway, VRRP for default gateway redundancy, and BGP. Delivering both L2 VPN and L3 service on a combined L2 &L3 access device eliminates the need for installing a separate router on a port of an Ethernet access device. This capability is very appealing because the Ethernet service can additionally be used to provide enterprise connectivity along with Internet access. EXTENDING L3 VPN SERVICES WITH OPTISWITCH SERIES OptiSwitch Series enables CSPs to establish private VPN and deploy business services and managed L3 services coupled with IP SLA for medium and large enterprises with offices distributed across several geographical locations (headquarters and remote branch offices). OptiSwitch Series extends L3 VPN services via IPv4/IPv6 static & dynamic routing and VRF-Lite protocols. Figure 3: Dedicated Internet Access and L3 VPN Services 3
Table 2 summarizes the major attributes of VPN business and Internet access business services. Table 2: VPN Business Services and Internet Access Business service Figure 4: Full solution with OptiSwitch Converged L2 & L3 Access Device SOLUTION BENEFITS Delivering converged services provides multiple benefits. A single access device enables driving new revenues streams along with network monetization, eases operations, and reduces OpEx. Layer convergence will enable rapid delivery of new services to market through common service provisioning & management, OAM, troubleshooting and SLA verification with less devices & configurations, and power & space savings. In addition, a single L2 and L3 access device means testing, certification, and training can be done in parallel for both services on the same access device, eliminating the need for conducting them separately. These advantages translate into significant operational simplifications and corresponding OpEx savings. The list hereunder outlines MRV s solution benefits: Single access device with reduced TCO delivers the broadest range of L2 and L3 services. Accelerates ROI and increases revenues - offers L3 integrated IP routing services and consequently saves on costs for an external router and functions as a single access device for managed L2 VPN and IP services. Enables the addition of L2 Carrier Ethernet service to provide enterprise connectivity and Internet access. Integrated IP routing capabilities enable seamless networking with branch offices and remote users. IPv4/IPv6 routing at 10GE wire-speed 4
Provides QoS along with advanced traffic management capabilities that enable CSPs to offer differentiated and flexible SLA-based services to their customers Integrated L2 Carrier Ethernet capabilities eliminate the need to certify one access device for IP services and a separate one for L2 Carrier Ethernet services. OptiSwitch Series provides a common hardware platform that accelerates interoperability tests that can be done in parallel for both services on the same access device Provides multi-layer OAM tools including MEF SOAM to monitor and assure SLA. Supports integrated measurements probes that measure continuous and highly granular network KPI (delay, jitter, packet loss, end-to-end VoIP speech quality measurement) that provides the CSP with continuous monitoring of the lucrative L2 and L3 revenue generating services in real time. Provides IP SLA for ensuring services visibility and manageability Zero-touch provisioning with rapid service turn-up with extensive SLA reporting and web-based customer portal that provides per customer SLA verification via real-time customer friendly dashboards ABOUT MRV COMMUNICATIONS MRV Communications is a global leader in converged packet and optical solutions that empower the optical edge. For more than two decades, the most demanding service providers, Fortune 1000 companies and governments worldwide have trusted MRV to provide best-in-class solutions and services for their mission critical networks. We help our customers overcome the challenge of orchestrating the ever-increasing need for capacity while improving service delivery and lowering network costs for critical applications such as cloud connectivity, high-capacity business services, mobile backhaul and data center connectivity. MRV operates worldwide sales and service offices across four continents. All statements, technical information and recommendations related to the products herein are based upon information believed to be reliable or accurate. However, the accuracy or completeness thereof is not guaranteed, and no responsibility is assumed for any inaccuracies. Please contact MRV Communications for more information. MRV Communications and the MRV Communications logo are trademarks of MRV Communications, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of their respective holders. MRV-AN-DIA & L3 Contact us at info@mrv.com MRV Communications Corporate Headquarters 300 Apollo Drive Chelmsford, MA 01824 www.mrv.com For more information contact info@mrv.com or visit www.mrv.com The OptiSwitch, Master-OS and Pro-Vision Trademarks and MRV Company Logo are the sole and exclusive property of MRV Communications. All other trademarks and logos mentioned in this white paper are the property of their respective owners. Copyright 2014 MRV Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.