Business Ethernet is the most efficient way to extend a business’ local and wide area network. It gives enterprises the security of private lines without the hassle of extra equipment or bandwidth limitations. Metro Ethernet Forum (News - Alert) (MEF) is the standards agency responsible for setting the standards for the industry.

In a major development to help operators reduce the cost of handling Ethernet networks, in the business Ethernet industry, RAD Data Communications announced the launch of MEF (News - Alert) CE 2.0 -certified ETX-5300A Ethernet Service Aggregation Platform.

The new Ethernet Service Aggregation Platform, according to company officials, enables operators to reduce the operational costs per Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) link by grooming Ethernet and TDM traffic from the access network to the provider’s edge (PE).

The solution is the next-generation carrier Ethernet access/aggregation platform optimized for converging business, wholesale, and mobile backhaul services onto a single, operationally efficient network infrastructure. It transforms RAD’s Carrier Ethernet portfolio into a complete ecosystem to build a full access network.

RAD’s ETX-5300A addresses the demand for operators requiring full-blown functionality and high port capacity but packaged in a small-form factor box that uses less than half the power consumption than any competitive product in the market.

With its ability to aggregate up to 80 GbE or 16 10GbE access links into redundant 10 GbE ports, the solution intelligently manages the most Ethernet traffic at the lowest cost and smallest footprint, significantly reducing Capex and Opex.

When working opposite RAD’s ETX Carrier Ethernet demarcation devices, the solution cuts the price per link by half, or more, company officials said.

Capable of delivering SLA-based business Ethernet services, the 3U-high device can easily be placed in street cabinets, basement communications rooms or crowded racks in their access POPs.

“It’s almost magic what our engineers were able to do with this device,” said Amir Karo, vice president of Marketing at RAD Data Communications (News - Alert), in a statement. “RAD has applied its wide experience and technological expertise in access networks to design a central-site Carrier Ethernet solution tailor-made for pre-aggregation in larger networks but equally able to be deployed as a service hub in smaller operations or private networks.”

In a related development in business Ethernet industry, tw telecom (News - Alert) said Frost & Sullivan has recognized tw telecom’s performance in the booming retail carrier Ethernet services market by awarding the Business Ethernet company with the 2011 North American Frost & Sullivan (News - Alert) Award for Growth Leadership.