Huawei Proposes X-Ethernet for 5G Fronthaul/Backhaul

Huawei is proposing a new X-Ethernet variation to bring TDM-like deterministic characteristics to 5G fronthaul/backhaul deployments.

The Network 5.0 Team at Huawei’s Network Technology Laboratory, part of the company’s “Laboratory 2012” developed the innovative X-Ethernet technology.

Huawei said X-Ethernet fundamentally solves the problem brought by the high bandwidth, determinacy, low-latency, hard isolation and low-cost requirements of 5G. X-Ethernet holds many innovative features such as a Layer 1.5 Switch, Hybrid Multiplexing and Ethernet E2E Flexible Hard Pipe. The Layer 1.5 Switch is based on the native Ethernet kernel.  Since it can avoid L2/L3 packets storage-and-forwarding, deterministic low-latency can be guaranteed. The Hybrid Multiplex technology is realized by enhancing Ethernet code block function.

Huawei has released X-Ethernet technology for 5G bearer networks at the ITU-T 2020 FG Workshop and Demo Day Wireline Technology Enablers for 5G conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

http://www.huawei.com/en/news/2016/12/Huawei-X-Ethernet-Solutions