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Posted on 02.19.06
What is the distinction between Ethernet over LAN for access vs. Active Ethernet? In a previous post on the Hong Kong network, what I thought was Ethernet over LAN is Active Ethernet according to the first comment. A Cisco case study describes this approach as Metro Ethernet. I haven’t seen Cisco equipment being used in FTTH buildouts in the US for single family homes. PacketFront is the Active Ethernet vendor for Pulte Homes. Is there a difference between Cisco and PacketFront Ethernet access equipment? I would think that the PacketFront solution is more expensive than the $130/per user quoted for the Hong Kong network. Also, please see this post with relevant comments for China FTTH deployment with LAN termination. Filed under: Technology Comments: 4 Comments »RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI Leave a commentLine and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: |
The key differense between Packetfront and Cisco is that Packetfront is using layer 3 in the access where Cisco is using layer2 in the access. The PF layer 3 in the access causes lots of challenges on the routing using different ISP’s in a wholesale operation.
Comment by Dolf — February 20, 2006 @ 1:09 am
Layer 3 is by far the more robust and versitile setup, as opposed to the layer 2.
Comment by spiderman — February 20, 2006 @ 8:42 am
The challange for any active solution is the amount of fiber needed. Although active may be tenable in a new build, selecting active for an overbuild is extremely difficult to justify. 1GbE may be tenable for a bw intensive business applications (hence Metro Ethernet). Active is less tenable and may be overkill for most residential and mid/small business applications.
Comment by dw — February 21, 2006 @ 3:45 pm
Yes, the fact that PacketFront uses layer 3 at the access is one difference, but the real difference is PacketFront’s BECS system which enables the automation, control and provisioning of multiple IP services in the residential network. BECS enables the Network owner to consider wholesale/open access business models.
(Cisco has single family homes on a FTTH network at SureWest in CA, one of the largest fiber deployments in the US)
Comment by Tim — February 24, 2006 @ 7:47 am