TEL AVIV -- At CeBIT 2006 in Hanover, Germany, RAD Data Communications will unveil the world's first-to-market pre-standard implementation of ITU Y.17ETHOAM and IEEE 802.1ag, which allow for end-to-end Ethernet Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OAM).

OAM is a set of network management functions that provide for network fault and performance monitoring, diagnostics and fault isolation. First developed for carrier-class TDM and ATM legacy networks, implementation of OAM in Next Generation packet switched networks will provide carriers with the basic tools to monitor, diagnose, and troubleshoot Ethernet services end-to-end.

"OAM is one of the cornerstones in the transformation of Ethernet into a carrier-class technology," states Yacov Cazes, Director of Product Management at RAD Data Communications. "By providing end-to-end fault monitoring, OAM enables Ethernet service providers to proactively monitor their service end-to-end, an advantage that minimizes operational expenses."

Y.17ETHOAM and 802.1ag specifically define the end-to-end OAM capabilities that are intrinsic to Ethernet technology, enabling service providers to monitor the Ethernet service that the customer receives. The IEEE's 802.3ah OAM, in contrast, is not capable of end-to-end monitoring of Ethernet services because it allows for monitoring capabilities such as remote failure indication and loopback only over a single segment. It is commonly used, therefore, between the customer premises and the next hop.

SLA Monitoring

RAD's pre-standard implementation of Y.17ETHOAM provides performance measurements that include parameters such as frame delay, frame delay variation ("jitter"), frame loss, and availability. These parameters can be collected on a continuing basis and reported periodically, or they can be uploaded to a dedicated Web site that can be accessed by selected customers at the service provider's discretion. "End-to-end performance measurements provide the service provider with an essential tool to guarantee that the customer receives the SLA that has been contracted," Cazes notes.

Focus on Carrier Needs

The RAD concept is based on the deployment of carrier-owned intelligent Ethernet Network Termination Units (E-NTUs) at the customer premises. An intelligent E-NTU focuses on the carrier's needs by providing clear demarcation and service control up to the customer premises. "The more Ethernet services become sophisticated, the greater the need for an intelligent demarcation unit to enable advanced monitoring of those services," Cazes explains. "By owning the termination equipment at the customer premises, service providers can ensure reliable service delivery at the formal hand-off to the customer."

RAD Data Communications Ltd.