PBB-TE, PBT

Carrier Grade Ethernet Transport

Traffic Engineered Provider Backbone Bridging (PBB-TE) is a new technology concept that promises to provide a true Carrier grade Ethernet transport network solution.

With PBB-TE, it is now possible to build networks completely based on Ethernet technology without the need for supporting networks to ensure carrier-class quality (such as SDH/SONET or MPLS).

PBB-TE is the most recent development after several years of work by the IEEE and ITU-T aimed at improving and enhancing Ethernet technology for use in carrier networks. PBB-TE addresses the needs of carrier transport applications with managed and protected point-to-point connections. Connections in a PBB-TE network are directly provisioned using a network management system rather than Ethernet's self-learning mechanisms, leading to a more deterministic and operationally simpler network.

Enhancements specified by PBB address key deficiencies in traditional enterprise Ethernet, which has hindered its adoption as a carrier protocol. Ethernet interfaces and Ethernet-based services are already established and widely deployed, but Ethernet as a transport technology has lacked the key carrier grade features that PBB-TE now provides.

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