Enhancing NGN´s versatility for Multi-Service support: The Bridging Virtualization approach

Since the appearance of next generation networks (NGN), access and aggregation networks (even core networks) have suffered significant improvements and architectural evolutions. The idea of network convergence, something in which providers are very interested, is closely related with these deployments, as the same network must be capable of transporting all the existent telecommunication services (voice, video and data). This paper introduces an architectural model which is based on broadband forum technical recommendations for multi-service (TR-058), and makes use bridging technology in all the nodes. In this model, carrier-class Ethernet has been selected as transport technology in order to achieve convergence in provider networks. Then, a radically new approach for network convergence is presented, bridging virtualization. This approach introduces the concept of instances to differentiate service requests. Finally, a secure alternative to the instantiation of multiple services is presented (EAPOL-in-EAPOL).