Introducing the Specifications of the

MEF

MEF 22: Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement

February 2009 1
Approved MEF Specifications
• MEF 2 Requirements and Framework for Ethernet Service Protection
• MEF 3 Circuit Emulation Service Definitions, Framework and Requirements in
Metro Ethernet Networks
• MEF 4 Metro Ethernet Network Architecture Framework Part 1: Generic Framework
• MEF 6.1 Metro Ethernet Services Definitions Phase 2
• MEF 7 EMS-NMS Information Model
• MEF 8 Implementation Agreement for the Emulation of PDH Circuits
over Metro Ethernet Networks
• MEF 9 Abstract Test Suite for Ethernet Services at the UNI
• MEF 10.1 Ethernet Services Attributes Phase 2*
• MEF 11 User Network Interface (UNI) Requirements and Framework
• MEF 12 Metro Ethernet Network Architecture Framework
Part 2: Ethernet Services Layer
• MEF 13 User Network Interface (UNI) Type 1 Implementation Agreement
• MEF 14 Abstract Test Suite for Traffic Management Phase 1
• MEF 15 Requirements for Management of Metro Ethernet
Phase 1 Network Elements
• MEF 16 Ethernet Local Management Interface
• MEF 17 Service OAM Framework and Requirements
• MEF 18 Abstract Test Suite for Circuit Emulation Services
• MEF 19 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 1
• MEF 20 User Network Interface (UNI) Type 2 Implementation Agreement
• MEF 21 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 2 Part 1: Link OAM
• MEF 22 Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement

* MEF 10 .1 replaces and enhances MEF 10 Ethernet Services Definition Phase 1 and replaced MEF 1 and MEF 5. MEF 6.1 replaced MEF 6.

2
This Overview Presentation

• Purpose:
– This presentation is an introduction to MEF 22
• Audience
– Equipment manufacturers building devices that will carry mobile
backhaul traffic over Carrier Ethernet
– Useful for mobile backhaul service providers architecting their
systems for Carrier Ethernet
– For wire-line service providers architecting their systems for the
inclusion of mobile backhaul traffic over Carrier Ethernet
• Other Documents
– Presentations of the other specifications and an overview of all
specifications is available on the MEF web site
– Other materials such as white papers and case studies are also
available

3
MEF 22 Overview Presentation Topics

• MEF 22 Overview
– Objectives
– Scope
– Implementation phases
– Terminology and concepts
• MBH IA Specification Sections
– Use cases and migration strategy
– Services
• Classes of service
• Service types
– Generic interworking function
– Synchronization and clock recovery
• Synchronization background information
• References and related documents

4
MEF 22 Overview Section

5
 MEF Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement

• Overview
– Provides generic specification for Ethernet backhaul
architectures for mobile networks (2G, 3G, 4G)
– Explains how to apply existing MEF specifications
– User-Network Interface requirements
– Service Requirements
RAN BS
• Service definitions UNI

• Clock synchronization for UNI

application support
Carrier Ethernet RAN NC
Network
UNI

RAN BS

6
About the Specification

• The role of the document is to provide guidelines for

implementing mobile backhaul network that is based on
Carrier Ethernet
• The document includes requirement and recommendations
for the equipment, architecture & operation of Mobile
Backhaul network.
• Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement is an MEF
specification
• It provides a set of requirements and guidelines detailing the
use of existing MEF standards and other industry standards in
a way that best fit mobile backhaul requirements.
• The Implementation Agreement aims to describe best
practices as a blueprint for a successful implementation of
mobile backhaul services.

7
Scope of the Implementation Agreement

• Utilize existing MEF technical specifications with required

extensions to interface and service attributes.
• Provide requirements for UNI-C and UNI-N beyond those in MEF
13 & MEF 20.
• Define requirements for the implementation of Ethernet Services.
• Provide requirements for the usages of Link OAM and Service
OAM Fault Management.
• Use a single Metro Ethernet Network with external interfaces being
only UNIs.
• Provide high-level requirements for Class of Service.
• Define synchronization requirements where possible for packet
based synchronization methods that are transparent to the CEN.
• Specify functional requirements applicable to legacy mobile
technology using the Generic Inter-Working Function (GIWF)
interfaces.

8
Phased Implementation
MEF 22 Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement Phase 1 was
approved as an official MEF Specification in January 2009.

• This first phase includes:

– EVCs spanning a single MEN (Metro Ethernet Network).
– Synchronization is either delivered outside of the Ethernet
transport network or using a packet based method that is
transparent to the MEN*, e.g. treated as standard Service Frames
– GSM, WCDMA, CDMA, CDMA2000, and WiMAX 802.16e.
• Subsequent phases are anticipated to include:
– EVCs spanning arbitrary number of MENs.
– Other synchronization methods.
– Other mobile standards, such as LTE (Long Term Evolution).
– Synchronous Ethernet
– And other topics

9
 Terminology and Concepts (1)
• The Specifications and presentations refer to MENs (Metro
Ethernet Networks) not Carrier Ethernet Networks. Why is that?
– The technical work of the MEF as described in the specifications, together
with the work of associated standards bodies, collectively enable the
functionality and attributes of Carrier Ethernet
– The completed specifications continue to refer to MENs (Metro Ethernet
Networks) but this is now a generic term covering the enabled service
network in the increasing variety of Access, Metro and long haul networks

– Some Specifications refer to CENs (Carrier Ethernet Networks) this term

may be used interchangeably with MENs as in this document
10
Terminology and Concepts (2)

• The scope of the “Mobile Backhaul”

network as defined for the specification
– The Mobile Backhaul is defined as the network
between the:
• Radio Network Controllers (RNCs), and
• Radio Access Networks Base Station (RAN BS).
– Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement provides
guidelines to architecture, equipment & operation to
that part of the network

11
 Terminology and Concepts (3)
• Network Elements addressed by the Specification
Terminology used in the specification and this overview

GIWF Generic Inter-working Function

PCP Priority Code Point

PEC Packet based Equipment Clocks

PTP Precision Time Protocol

RAN Radio Access Network

RAN BS RAN Base Station

RAN CE RAN Customer Edge

RAN NC RAN Network Controller

RNC Radio Network Controller

• The RAN CE is a generic term that identifies a mobile network node or site,
such as a RAN network Controller or RAN Base Station
• A RAN NC may be a single network controller or a site composed of several
network elements including: OSS, WCDMA Radio Network Controller or
Synchronization Server.

12
Terminology and Concepts (4)

• The RAN Base Station is shown in the

Carrier
specification as in the diagram on the right Ethernet
Network
• However, this is intended to represent all
varieties of configurations typically enclosed
and may support several cell towers
• A RAN BS may also be a single base station
or a collection of several base stations as RAN BS

shown on the right. The actual

implementations may integrate the GIWF
function, microwave backhaul functions, etc.,

13
Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement
Section Review

14
Section Review

• Use Cases and Migration Strategy

– Four use cases address the migration from legacy networks
• Services
– This section examines the application of six Carrier Ethernet
service types together with the class of service
recommendations
• Generic Interworking Function
– Addresses generic devices to be used as part of the migration
strategy
• Synchronization and Clock Recovery
– Addresses the issues of clock preservation across Carrier
Ethernet mobile backhaul networks

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Legacy Mobile Backhaul Migration
Packet offload over Carrier Ethernet – Use Case 1a

Legacy
Network

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS Non-Ethernet GIWF UNI UNI GIWF Non-Ethernet RAN NC

I/F I/F

Emulation over Carrier Ethernet – Use Case 1b

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS Non-Ethernet GIWF UNI UNI GIWF Non-Ethernet RAN NC

I/F I/F

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When RAN nodes are equipped with Ethernet
RAN dual stack – Use Case 2a

Legacy
Network

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS UNI UNI RAN NC

Full Ethernet – Use Case 2b

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS UNI UNI RAN NC

17
Migration legacy to Carrier Ethernet Backhaul (1)

– The Mobile Backhaul Implementation Agreement covers

various steps in the migration phase
– It describes two use cases of mobile backhaul networks
that are composed of a legacy network and a Carrier
Ethernet network in parallel.
– The first of these two use cases employs a “Generic
Inter-Working Function” to interface between the legacy
base station / network controller and the Carrier
Ethernet network:
Legacy
Network

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS Non-Ethernet GIWF UNI UNI GIWF Non-Ethernet RAN NC

I/F I/F

18
Migration legacy to Carrier Ethernet Backhaul (2)

• The second legacy use case describes a hybrid offload

model. The network controller and base stations
maintain legacy network (TDM, ATM, or HDLC/PPP)
connections for voice traffic and native Carrier
Ethernet interfaces for data traffic:

Legacy
Network

Carrier Ethernet
Network

RAN BS UNI UNI RAN NC

19
MBH Service Requirements Addressed
• Carrier Ethernet Services for Mobile Backhaul
– Typically there are 1-2 RNC sites and between hundreds to
thousands of RAN BS sites
– Bandwidth requirements for a base station site will vary and
may range from a few Mbps to over a Gbps
– Services need to be:
• Scalable
• Flexible
• Cost effective
– Generally, the requirement is to follow one of the following
MEF services:
• Ethernet Private Line Service
• Ethernet Virtual Private Line Service
• Ethernet Private LAN Service
• Ethernet Virtual Private LAN service
• Ethernet Private Tree Service
• Ethernet Virtual Private Tree Service

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Service Definitions – Point-to-Point (E-Line)

• Similar to leased lines

• Requires traffic separation per RAN BS at RAN NC
• The specification cover private and virtual private line cases
• EVPL shown here

21
Service Definitions – Ethernet LAN Service (E-LAN)

• Virtual LAN service

• Requires traffic separation per RAN BS at RAN NC
• The specification cover private and virtual private LAN cases
• EP-LAN shown here

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Rooted Multipoint (E-Tree Service)

• Similar behavior as leased lines

• Supports simpler RAN BS and RAN NC solutions
• Multiplexing could be used for increased traffic separation
• The specification cover private and virtual private routed multipoint services
• EVP-Tree shown here

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Traffic Separation

• MEF 22 provides service modeling and mapping guidelines

– Guidelines for the number of CoS classes to use
– Bundling traffic types into limited number of CoS classes
– CoS class performance requirements
• The MBH IA specifies QoS requests to enable service class
differentiation
– The “must” request is to support at least two Class of Service. But
the recommended request is to support four Class of Service.

Service Class Example of Generic Traffic Classes mapping into CoS

Name 4 CoS Model 3 CoS Model 2 CoS Model

Very High (H+) Synchronization - -

High (H) Conversational, Conversational and Conversational and Synchronization,
Signaling and Control Synchronization, Signaling and Control,
Signaling and Control Streaming
Medium (M) Streaming Streaming -
Low (L) Interactive and Interactive and Interactive and
Background Background Background

24
Technology Migration and
Interworking

25
Mobile Backhaul Generic Interworking Function (1)

• The Mobile backhaul GIWF (Generic Interworking Function)

– Mobile Backhaul Generic Interworking Function (GIWF) provides
adaptation and interconnection between any legacy mobile
equipments (TDM/ATM/HDLC based) in the base station and
network controller and the Metro Ethernet network at the UNI.
– It enables the joint backhaul of any combination of 2G, 2.5G, 3G
(legacy based) and Evolved-3G & 4G (Ethernet based) voice and
data traffic over a single Carrier Ethernet RAN (Radio Access
Network).
– The adaptation of the legacy mobile traffic to the Carrier Ethernet
service can be based on TDM circuit emulation standards as well as
ATM/HDLC pseudo-wire standards.

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Mobile Backhaul Generic Interworking Function (2)

• How the GIWF handles existing GSM based networks

– GSM uses a number of T1 (1.5 Mbit/s) or E1 (2 Mbit/s) circuits to connect
the base station with the network controller.
– The GIWF terminates a circuit emulation service (CES) per such E1/T1
circuit at the cell site or service edge and at the network controller site
– A variety of circuit emulation services can be used in the implementation
agreement (MEF8 (CESoE), TDMoMPLS, SAToP, CESoPSN)

Service Provider Network

TDM Circuit Emulation

TDM CES Ethernet Carrier Ethernet Ethernet CES TDM

IWF Network IWF
RAN NC

RAN BS E-Line
Ethernet Ethernet
Service
UNI UNI
TDM Base Station
TDM Network
demarcation
Interface

CES IWF: Circuit Emulation Interworking Function

27
 Technology Interworking
• How the GIWF handles existing UMTS / WCDMA networks
– These Technologies uses ATM over a number of bundled T1 (1.5 Mbit/s)
or E1 (2 Mbit/s) circuits to connect the base station with the network
controller.
– The GIWF terminates an ATM pseudo-wire or a TDM circuit emulation
tunnel at the cell site or service edge and at the network controller site
– A variety of ATM pseudo-wire and/or TDM circuit emulation standards can
be used in the implementation agreement

Service Provider Network

Carrier Ethernet
ATM Pseudo-wire Network

ATM/TDM CES Ethernet Carrier Ethernet Ethernet CES ATM/TDM

IWF Network IWF
RAN NC
RAN BS
E-Line
Ethernet Ethernet
Service
UNI UNI ATM / TDM
ATM / TDM BS
demarcation Network Interface

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Technology Interworking

• How MEF 22 aligns with ATM pseudo-wire and TDM

circuit emulation solutions?
– The MEF has defined MEF 8 for TDM over Ethernet circuit
emulation; the specification is maintained by the MEF
– The MPLS-based circuit emulation of TDM and ATM circuits is
defined by the IP/MPLS Forum. The MEF liaises with the
IP/MPLS Forum to ensure the specifications are aligned.

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Mobile Backhaul Synchronization

30
 Synchronization
• Key Issue
– Migration to all packet networks means loss of TDM clock source

• Three principal Components of sync

– Frequency synchronization(2G, 3G, 3.5G)
– Phase synchronization(4G in some cases)
– Time of Day synchronization

• The following approaches are possible

– Outside of the Ethernet transport network (e.g. via GPS)
– Packet Based Synch using dedicated packet flow (e.g. IEEE 1588
V2, NTP) or using the clock carried by circuit emulated data (the
following methods are possible : Differential Clock Recovery,
Adaptive Clock Recovery)
– Synchronous Ethernet

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MEF Approach to Synchronization

• Packet based
– Packet based methods are in scope
for Phase 1
• Synchronization quality requirements
reference the ITU G.8261 standard
• The IA is agnostic to specific methods/implementations like
adaptive clocking, RTP-extended adaptive clocking, IEEE1588
etc.
– Eliminates the cost and need for retention of T1/E1 circuit solely for
synchronization
• Other approaches
– Common Clock (GPS, legacy E1 clocking) is out of scope
– Synchronous Ethernet in scope for future phases

32
Mobile Backhaul Synchronization
Background

Background
The following 8 slides are intended to assist the readers
understanding of the topic and background concepts behind the
implementation agreement

33
 Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (1)
• Background Information
– The following slides are not descriptive of MEF 22 but are intended as
useful background knowledge
• Relevant ITU Standards for Clock Requirements for Circuit
Emulation services
– The synchronization requirements are derived from the ITU-T
Recommendation G.8261, which studies timing and synchronization
over packet based networks and examines the requirements for
different mobile technologies.
– Subsequent versions of this ITU specify clocks conforming to G.823
(for signals related to the E1-hierarchy) or G.824 (for T1-hierarchy
signals)
– These standards define the permissible output jitter and wander for
two levels
• Clock (Jitter and wander) requirements for the traffic interface are
defined in ITU-T G.823, Section 5 for E1 and in ITU-T G.824,
Section 5, for T1
• Clock (Jitter and wander) requirements for the synchronization
interface are defined in ITU-T G.823, Section 6.2.4 for E1 and in
ITU-T G.824, section 6.2.2 for T1

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Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (2)

• Principle types of synchronization

– There are 3 principal types of synchronization that are of
importance:
• Frequency synchronization
– Relate to the alignment of clocks in frequency, a process
that is also referred to as syntonization
• Phase synchronization
– Imply that the two clocks are aligned in phase, a process
that also referred to as relative-time synchronization
• Time synchronization
– Also referred to as time-of-day synchronization or wall-
clock synchronization where the clocks in question are
traceable to a common, universal, time-base such as
UTC

35
Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (3)
• Important synchronization types and requirements in
cellular networks (1)
– GSM Base Station (frequency synchronization)
• Timing requirement applicable to the GSM radio interface can
be found in the ETSI technical specification TS 145.010
• The radio interface requirement for a GSM base station is
frequency accuracy of ±50 ppb and ±100 ppb (pico BS)
– The need for this requirement stems primarily from the
need to support handover of mobiles between base stations
– UMTS FDD Base Station (frequency synchronization)
• The timing requirement applicable to the WCDMA FDD radio
interface can be found in the ETSI technical specification TS
125.104
• The radio interface requirement for UMTS FDD base stations is
a frequency accuracy of ± 50ppb (wide area), ±100 ppb (local
area) and ±250 ppb (Home BS); for the FDD mode there are no
phase alignment requirements

36
 Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (4)
• Important synchronization types and requirements in cellular
networks (2)
– UMTS TDD Base Station (frequency and phase synchronization)
• The timing requirement applicable to the WCDMA TDD radio interface can
be found in the ETSI technical specification TS 125.105
• The radio interface requirement for UMTS TDD base stations is a
frequency accuracy of ±50 ppb; for the TDD mode there is the additional
requirement for the phase alignment of neighboring base stations to within
2.5 µs.
– 3GPP2 CDMA2000 Base Station (frequency and time synchronization)
• The relevant CDMA2000 standards are the 3GPP2 C.S0010-B and 3GPP2
C S0002-B
• According to the CDMA2000 specifications the average frequency
difference between the actual CDMA transmit carrier frequency and
specified CDMA transmit frequency assignment shall be less than ±50 ppb
• The time error should be less than 3μs: due to that it is a common practice
to equip CDMA base stations with GPS receivers

37
Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (5)
• How network synchronization is achieved for emulated circuits
over a packet-based infrastructure (1)
– There are 3 major methods:
1. Network Synchronous Method.
• This is supported via a local GPS or via a master –slave
synchronization network using the physical layer to distribute the
synchronization
2. Differential clocking mode
• A PRC-traceable reference is required at both ends of the packet
network. However often a this may not be available for service
providers at every possible site, such as a remote cell site
• The system will use the PRC-traceable clock source, which is fed
into all the elements of the network
• The system will use the common clock source as well as observe
the time stamps received from the circuit emulation service
(CESoE / SAToP / CESoPSN) packets received from the packet
network and calculate the differential to recover an accurate clock
• This recovered clock reference is then used to transmit the TDM
frames

38
Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (6)

• How network synchronization is achieved for emulated

circuits over a packet-based infrastructure (2)
3. Adaptive Clock Recovery
• In some deployments, there is no PRC-traceable reference
nor GPS source available at the remote site
• The CPE at the cell site has to completely rely on the
incoming packet stream from the Ethernet network to calculate
the clocking reference
• The clock accuracy, thus derived, should be of suitable high
quality, sufficient to recover a timing signal compliant to the
3GPP mobile standards (e.g. accuracy of 16 ppb or higher)
• The central office will be using a primary clock source
reference, and the receiving site will derive the clock based on
the incoming circuit emulation service packets

39
 Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (7)
• The requirements from Clock Recovery over PSN based MBH
– Any clock recovery over packet mechanism should be designed
primarily to meet the clock synchronization requirements for GSM
and UMTS RANs as specified in ETSI EN 300 912 and TS 125 402
"Synchronization in UTRAN stage 2”
– Jitter and wander measured at the output of the GIWF TDM-bound interface
should meet the traffic interface requirements specified in ITU-T
recommendations (G.823/G.824/G.825)
– The wander budget allocated to the MEN and the GIWF as measured at the
output of the GIWF TDM-bound interface should meet the traffic interface
requirements of ITU-T G.8261, Deployment Case 2
– Frequency accuracy in holdover should conform to a standard Clock as
applicable
– A robust clock recovery mechanism should also maintain its
outstanding performance even under the most demanding network
conditions, such as high Packet Delay Variation (jitter) and packet
loss ratio

40
Mobile Backhaul Synchronization Background (8)

• How clock recovery solutions are related to 1588v2 and NTP

– IEEE 1588v2 and NTP (Network Time Protocol) define how to
transport time information over the network
• The algorithms to reconstruct and recover the clock are vendor
specific
• This is an "implementation" issue rather protocol
– 1588v2 implementation actually calls for a standardized
implementation of the information carried while maintaining the high
clock accuracy currently achieved through clock recovery
implementations
• The clock recovery implementations should interoperable and
complement 1588v2 standard.
– The clock recovery implementations should comply with G.823,
G.824, G.8261, G.8264, G.8265 and G.8266 as applicable

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MEF 22 Related Documents

42
 MEF 22 Reference Works
• Other MEF documents on which parts of the Mobile Backhaul
Implementation Agreement are based
– The services and requirements that appear at the Mobile Backhaul
Implementation Agreement doc are based on:
• The services defined in MEF 6.1 Ethernet Service Definition –
Phase 2
• The attributes defined in MEF 10.1 Ethernet Service Attributes –
Phase 2
• MEF 13 & MEF 20 (UNI Types 1 & 2)
• Other documents currently under development by the MEF
Technical Committee (Ethernet Classes of Service, Service-OAM
and External Network-to-Network Interface technical
specifications)
– It is highly recommended to be familiar with the requirements in the
above two documents before reading the Mobile Backhaul
Implementation Agreement document. These are available on the
MEF Public web site Information Center

43
Final Word

• Next Actions
– Read the detailed MEF 20 Implementation
Agreement available on the MEF web site
– Further information related to implementation is to be
found on the MEF site:
• Further Technical FAQs beyond the scope of this
document
• A full reference presentation with additional
market perspectives
• White papers, case studies, applications
• Video presentations

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End of MEF 22 Overview

More information:
www.metroethernetforum.org

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