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Metro/Carrier Ethernet Solutions

From simple Layer 2 metro designs to the more sophisticated MPLS-based designs or Provider Bridge/Provider Backbone Bridge-based designs, Foundry offers robust, highly scalable solutions that enable the creation of cost efficient, high performance metropolitan networks. Foundry's price-performance leadership and investment protection in the face of rapidly increasing bandwidth requirements in the metro network offers unparalleled value to the service provider, and allows highly scalable Carrier Ethernet services to be delivered.

Overview

Foundry's metro solutions offers flexibility to the service provider in designing a network based on technology that suits the business goals of a provider.

For simple, cost efficient layer 2 metro designs, high performance layer 2 switching capabilities built into all Foundry products enable the creation of high capacity infrastructures with end-to-end wire-speed performance and QoS. This is complemented by a unique feature set of advanced layer 2 protocols for fast, sub-second convergence: IEEE 802.1w, Metro Ring Protocol (MRP), Virtual Switch Redundancy Protocol (VSRP). In addition, Foundry's switches are unique in their ability to enforce L2 and L3 Access Control Lists (ACLs) in a switched environment allowing metro providers to enforce policies that were traditionally achievable only using layer 3 solutions.

Typical candidates for the creation of such layer 2 metros are the FastIron Edge Switch (FES), FastIron Edge X-Series (FESX), NetIron CES 2000 Series and the BigIron RX-4. In addition, such a solution can always be augmented through the deployment of the NetIron MLX Series products to add high touch features like strong policy enforcement via inbound and outbound ACLs, advanced accounting, and scalable traffic policing.

Foundry's NetIron CES 2000 Series allows advanced Layer 2 technologies such as IEEE 802.1ah Provider Backbone Bridges (PBB) or IEEE 802.1ad Provider Bridges (PB) to be used to extend Carrier Ethernet services to the edge of a network.

For metro providers aiming for higher scalability services, or looking forward to deploying inter-metro services, Foundry's MPLS capable products provide ideal platforms for deploying high scalability and cost efficient services. Playing a central role in such scenarios are the NetIron MLX-4/-8/-16/-32 Series routers for high capacity metro services at the edge/aggregation layers, and the NetIron XMR 4000/8000/16000/32000 routers for high scalability core and inter-metro connectivity. The NetIron XMR and NetIron MLX Series routers are certified for MEF compliance, allowing service providers to use Foundry's infrastructure for offering services that are compliant with the emerging MEF specifications. These MPLS-based services may also be combined with PBB on the NetIron CES 2000 switches at the edge of the network to offer highly scalable Carrier Ethernet services.

For metro providers seeking to extend MPLS to the access edge, the NetIron M2404 Metro Access Switch is an attractive option. This compact MPLS MTU allows MPLS-based Layer 2 services to be delivered at the edge of the network.

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Related Products

Product Description
For Layer 2 Metro Designs
FastIron Edge Switch The FastIron® Edge Switch (FES) series provides greater flexibility, higher reliability, enhanced security, extensive redundancy, and expanded resiliency—while simplifying network... Learn more
FastIron Edge X Series Foundry's FastIron® Edge Switch X-series (FESX) products—the FastIron Edge X Series 424 (FESX424), the FastIron Edge X Series 448 (FESX448), the FastIron Edge X... Learn more
BigIron RX Series Switches The role of data networks in our daily lives continues to expand and grow. Emerging needs such as application convergence, non-stop operation, scalability and IPv6... Learn more
For Layer 2 and MPLS Metro Designs
NetIron M2404 MPLS Metro Access Switches The evolution of MPLS-based metro services from the early adopters phase to the mainstream today brings with it the need for cost-effective and compact solutions for... Learn more
NetIron MLX Series Routers Network planners today have to ensure that the solution chosen provides the right mix of functionality and high performance while reducing the total cost of... Learn more
NetIron XMR Series Backbone Routers Today's Service Providers face a number of challenges that require a new breed of solutions in order to ensure successful and profitable operation. Service Providers... Learn more

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