Active Ethernet
Active Ethernet is a point-to-point fiber access technology used to deliver dedicated high-speed internet and other services typically to businesses and enterprises.
In an Active Ethernet network, subscriber locations with an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) are connected directly to the broadband service provider’s Ethernet access switch or an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) in the network via a dedicated fiber optic cable. This means that each subscriber has their own dedicated connection to the network, which can provide high-speed internet with low latency, high reliability and symmetrical bandwidth meaning that the upload and download speeds are the same.
Another benefit is that Active Ethernet can support multiple services, such as voice and video, over a single fiber optic cable. However, the downside of Active Ethernet is that it can be expensive to deploy, as each subscriber requires their own dedicated fiber optic cable. Additionally, it can be more challenging to manage and maintain than other optical fiber access technologies such as Passive Optical Networks (PON).
DZS provides platforms and a range of ONT, OLT and Ethernet access switch products that implement these commercially successful Active Ethernet technologies today with industry-leading performance and software-driven flexibility, with extensible designs that are ready to support new emerging standards.
Why Active Ethernet?
Dedicated Multigigabit Optical Performance
Optical AE broadband exceeds the physical limits of copper-based technologies, providing dedicated, low latency high performance broadband networking for businesses.
Cost Effective, Pervasive Optical Broadband
Single fiber dedicated, symmetrical and active optical network technology minimizes the costs, complexity, and time to install.
A path to the future
Active Ethernet technology continues to evolve, providing more options for higher performance and capacity to future-proof existing optical networks.
Active Ethernet – IEEE 802.3
Active Ethernet uses IEEE 802.3 standard, active components to extend Ethernet to the subscriber in a switched topology offering a fully symmetrical 100 Mbits/sec, 1 Gbit/sec or 10-Gbit/sec of bandwidth to every subscriber. Efforts are underway to standardize even greater Gbit/sec speeds. Using IEEE 802.3 standard components results in very low-cost solutions due to the millions of ports of already-deployed Ethernet connections worldwide and allows full interoperability with other standards-based solutions from several vendors.