Metropolitan Networks

Abstract

Metropolitan area networks, or metropolitan area network (MAN)s are at the confluence of business and home users—connecting enterprises to core networks and residential users to the rest of the Internet. This important segment of the network spans cities, regions, districts and municipalities and is a prime driver segment of broadband networking as well as being pivotal in providing connectivity to enterprises. In this chapter we begin by describing the premise of technology in metro networks (shortened form of MANs). After a detailed overview of how metro networks plug into the larger service provider scheme of things, we delve into individual technologies that are intrinsic to metro network architecture. These technologies include synchronousoptical network (SONET)/synchronousdigital hierarchy (SDH), optical transportnetwork (OTN), optical networks, WDM, Internet protocol (IP)/multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) and carrier Ethernet. Each technology is described from the metro standpoint and how it is used as a service offering medium. We then focus on futuristic technologies such as software-definednetwork (SDN) and networkfunction virtualization (NFV). A detailed guide towards best practices for provider networks summarizes the chapter.