LightReading and InformationWeek are putting on Enterprise Day at the end of Ethernet Expo on Oct. 22 at the Hilton in New York. Registration for the event is open. Spending the day will get you up to speed on the happenings in Carrier Ethernet from both a standards and business perspective.The topics range from changes to the Carrier Ethernet standards presented by Kevin Vachon, chief operating officer of Metro Ethernet Forum, to the business benefits of Carrier Ethernet and advances in classes of service and SLA. There is a peer panel that I will be co-moderating along with Stan Hubbard from LightReading that dives into the business benefits of Carrier Ethernet. Attendees also get a free copy of Hubbard's HeavyReading report, Carrier Ethernet Services: The View From the Enterprise, which is worth the price of a complimentary admission.

Carrier Ethernet, or Metro Ethernet, is a WAN technology that delivers an Ethernet connection point to your location and, rather than routing traffic through the WAN, the traffic is switched. You no longer have to segment your network via IP, you can flatten the network topology, extend VLAN across the street, the country, or around the world. Originally intended for use within a single metro area, Carrier Ethernet service providers are offering national service in major urban centers, as well as pushing down-market into smaller population centers. The increased use of Carrier Ethernet over copper for last-mile connectivity also is making it more accessible. Prices are often competitive for lower-capacity WAN connections such as MPLS or frame relay. More capacity, lower cost, flatter network. What's not to like?

Hope to see you there.