Services are one of the four pillars of our MEF 3.0 Global Services Framework. MEF defines many service standards, including those for underlay connectivity, as well as overlay services such as SD-WAN.
Dynamic, assured, high-speed technology-agnostic service standards from MEF provide the underlying fabric for modern digital services. MEF’s SD-WAN service standard provides an application-centric, policy-driven, high-performance Overlay Digital Service that’s able to leverage MEF 3.0 Underlay Connectivity Service (UCS) standards, as well as other non-service-based access technologies (e.g. broadband Internet) to enable a fully orchestrated fabric for service providers delivering new, revenue-generating digital services to the enterprise.
Together, the combination of high-speed, dynamic and assured Underlay Connectivity Service standards, like Carrier Ethernet, plus MEF 3.0 SD-WAN, provide a delivery platform for new digital services, such as Mixed Reality, IoT and security services. These services can be fully orchestrated and automated within a single service provider, as well as between service providers for both on-net and off-net service access. This automation delivers operational savings, agility, and an enhanced experience for enterprises consuming these modern, digital services.
True SASE architecture requires end-to-end automation and orchestration—service providers offering on-demand services to customers will need to deliver broadband and off-net services in as close to a zero-touch manner as possible.
The combination of MEF 3.0 service standards (both underlay connectivity services and overlay services) with MEF APIs empower enterprises to digitally transform using network-based, software-defined digital services.
Watch the video to learn about underlay and overlay services, featuring MEF 3.0 SD-WAN and how these service standards, combined with MEF APIs, truly empower the enterprise to digitally transform.
To understand how underlay and overlay service standards work to deliver automated and orchestrated digital services, Click the Tabs.
Understand how underlay and overlay service standards work to deliver automated and orchestrated digital services by browsing the 4 descriptions below.
E.g. MEF 3.0 Optical Transport, Carrier Ethernet, IP
MEF 3.0 Underlay Connectivity Service standards, such as Carrier Ethernet, provide technology-agnostic service capabilities for service providers to connect subscribers, e.g. an enterprise and its office locations. Each service provider has multiple endpoints, which may span a city, or the planet. Modern global enterprises often require multiple providers to partner together to deliver the connectivity they require.
Federating Network & Cloud Providers with MEF LSO Sonata APIs
To manage the digital velocity enterprises need, service providers need to interoperate seamlessly in an automated fashion. MEF Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs support this requirement. Specifically, LSO Sonata APIs, provide the business-layer automation for services based on MEF 3.0 Underlay Connectivity Service standards like Carrier Ethernet.
MEF 3.0 SD-WAN
MEF’s SD-WAN service standard provides a policy-driven, application-centric approach to creating a flexible, software-defined overlay, which sits atop the various underlay connectivity services. Enterprises are clamoring for this overlay experience delivered as a managed service.
Growth Platform for New Digital Services
By using MEF LSO standards to automate both within and between providers at the underlay connectivity layer, that is synchronized with the SD-WAN overlay layer, service providers are empowered to deliver modern digital services to their enterprise customers e.g. Mixed Reality, IoT and security services.
MEF 3.0 Underlay Connectivity Service standards provide technology-agnostic service capabilities for service providers to connect subscribers, e.g. an enterprise and its office locations.
Explore the standards defining layer 1 point-to-point services, including both Subscriber-based and Operator-based services. These standards provide subscribers with consistent offerings for comparison along with improved service delivery times through automated service ordering and configuration processes.
Explore MEF 3.0 Optical TransportExplore the heavily adopted, global standards defining both subscriber and operator Ethernet services, covering various point-to-point and multipoint architectures. MEF 3.0 Carrier Ethernet is considered the ‘gold standard’ for layer-2-based underlay connectivity services.
Explore MEF 3.0 Carrier EthernetExplore the latest standards defining MEF 3.0 IP services, including VPNs, cloud access, and Internet access. For ISPs or providers of managed services, these standards offer the first step in intra-domain automation for service providers.
Explore MEF 3.0 IPMEF’s Overlay Digital Service standard provides a policy-driven, application-centric approach to creating a flexible, software-defined overlay, which sits atop the various underlay connectivity services.
With the introduction of overlay digital services—in particular, MEF 3.0 SD-WAN services—the integration of security into MEF’s work has become a critical area of focus. Explore MEF’s industry-driven collaboration to integrate security across multiple areas of its service standards and modeling—including defining a SASE service standard.
Explore MEF 3.0 SASEExplore the latest standards defining SD-WAN managed services. SD-WAN services present application-centric networking for consumers of network services while providing a digital fabric for the innovative service offerings that modern enterprises demand.
Explore MEF 3.0 SD-WAN