The MEF's new Carrier Ethernet 2.0 certification program for services and equipment complements the MEF's recent launch of Carrier Ethernet 2.0 with certification for eight new services. CE 2.0 brings significant value-added benefits, matching the enterprise users' application performance needs to MEF services with specific service level agreements, accelerating global deployment and optimizing bandwidth use and costs.
CE 2.0 certification has been developed to bring these new benefits to service providers, equipment vendors and users more quickly, with higher quality and at lower cost. The 680 test cases in the new certification program replace months or even years of costly and highly specialized test development required for assuring compliance with the new CE 2.0 services.
CE 2.0 certification accelerates the ability for service providers to deploy new services and to bring deserved industry recognition for innovation and quality.
Widely recognized MEF 9 and MEF 14 certifications remain valid and available under the umbrella of the new "CE 1.0 Certification" brand.
CE 2.0 supports multiple classes of service plus manageability across interconnected provider networks -- unlike the standardized CE 1.0 services delivered over a single provider's network. E-Line, E-LAN, E-Tree and a new E-Access service type are available for certification both as port based and virtual services.
There will be a four-month initial phase for the new certifications culminating in announcements of the first certified equipment vendors in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the first certified service providers in the first quarter of 2013.