The MEF, founded in 2001 as the Metro Ethernet Forum, is a nonprofit international industry consortium, dedicated to adoption of Carrier Ethernet networks and services.
The forum is composed of service providers, incumbent local exchange carriers, network equipment vendors, and other networking companies that share an interest in Metro Ethernet. It had 217 members as of September 2015.
The MEF is a combination of a technical and a marketing forum to promote the adoption of Metro Ethernet. This contrasts with standard bodies such as the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The forum makes recommendations to existing standards bodies and creates specifications that are not being developed by (or fall within the scope of) other standards bodies.
The MEF was preceded by the Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance (EFMA), also a nonprofit international industry consortium. It was established in 2001 to promote standards-based Ethernet in the First Mile (EFM) technologies and products and position EFM as a networking technology for an access network.
In 2005, with the completion of the 802.3ah standard by the IEEE, the EFMA became part of the MEF.
In 2015, the MEF voted to change its official legal name to "MEF Forum" to reflect its expansion in setting standards for virtualized networks.
These white papers provide a comprehensive technical overview of Ethernet services, based on the work of the MEF Technical Committee. The papers are intended to help buyers and users of Ethernet services understand the types and characteristics of the services and to help service providers clearly communicate their capabilities.
As of August 2015, the MEF had approved 53 technical specifications (see the full list):
MEF 2 Requirements and Framework for Ethernet Service ProtectionMEF 3 Circuit Emulation Service Definitions, Framework and Requirements in Metro Ethernet NetworksMEF 4 Metro Ethernet Network Architecture Framework Part 1: Generic FrameworkMEF 6.2 EVC Ethernet Services Definitions Phase 3 (supersedes MEF 6.1)MEF 7.2 Carrier Ethernet Information Model (supersedes MEF 7.1 and MEF 7.1.1)MEF 8 Implementation Agreement for the Emulation of PDH Circuits over Metro Ethernet NetworksMEF 9 Abstract Test Suite for Ethernet Services at the UNIMEF 10.3 Ethernet Services Attributes Phase 3 (supersedes MEF 10, MEF 10.1, MEF 10.1.1, MEF 10.2 and MEF 10.2.1)MEF 10.3.1 Composite Performance Metric (CPM) Amendment to MEF 10.3MEF 11 User Network Interface (UNI) Requirements and FrameworkMEF 12.1 Carrier Ethernet Network Architecture Framework Part 2: Ethernet Services Layer (supersedes MEF 12.1 and MEF 12.1.1)MEF 13 User Network Interface (UNI) Type 1 Implementation AgreementMEF 14 Abstract Test Suite for Traffic Management Phase 1MEF 15 Requirements for Management of Metro Ethernet Phase 1 Network ElementsMEF 16 Ethernet Local Management InterfaceMEF 17 Service OAM Framework and RequirementsMEF 18 Abstract Test Suite for Circuit Emulation ServicesMEF 19 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 1MEF 20 UNI Type 2 Implementation AgreementMEF 21 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 2 Part 1 Link OAMMEF 22.1 Mobile Backhaul Phase 2 Implementation Agreement (supersedes MEF 22)MEF 22.1.1 Amendment to MEF 22.1 – Small Cell BackhaulMEF 23.1 Class of Service Phase 2 Implementation Agreement (supersedes MEF 23)MEF 24 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 2 Part 2 E-LMIMEF 25 Abstract Test Suite for UNI Type 2 Part 3 Service OAMMEF 26.1 External Network Network Interface (ENNI)–Phase 2 (supersedes MEF 26, MEF 26.0.1, MEF 26.0.2 and MEF 26.0.3)MEF 27 Abstract Test Suite For UNI Type 2 Part 5: Enhanced UNI Attributes & Part 6: L2CP HandlingMEF 28 External Network Network Interface (ENNI) Support for UNI Tunnel Access and Virtual UNIMEF 29 Ethernet Services ConstructsMEF 30.1 Service OAM Fault Management Implementation Agreement Phase 2 (supersedes MEF 30)MEF 30.1.1 Amendment to SOAM FM IAMEF 31 Service OAM Fault Management Definition of Managed ObjectsMEF 32 Requirements for Service Protection Across External InterfacesMEF 33 Ethernet Access Services DefinitionMEF 34 ATS for Ethernet Access ServicesMEF 35 Service OAM Performance Monitoring Implementation Agreement (supersedes MEF 35)MEF 36.1 Service OAM SNMP MIB for Performance Monitoring (supersedes MEF 36)MEF 37 Abstract Test Suite for ENNIMEF 38 Service OAM Fault Management YANG ModulesMEF 39 SOAM Performance Monitoring YANG ModuleMEF 40 UNI and EVC Definition of Managed Objects (SNMP)MEF 41 Generic Token Bucket AlgorithmMEF 42 ENNI and OVC Definition of Managed Objects (SNMP)MEF 43 Virtual NID (vNID) Functionality for E-Access ServicesMEF 44 Virtual NID (vNID) Definition of Managed Objects (SNMP)MEF 45 Multi-CEN L2CPMEF 46 Latching Loopback Protocol and FunctionalityMEF 47 Carrier Ethernet Services for Cloud implementation AgreementMEF 48 Service Activation TestingMEF 49 Service Activation Testing Control Protocol and PDU FormatsMEF 49.0.1 Amendment to Service Activation Testing Control Protocol and PDU FormatsMEF 50 Service Operations GuidelinesMEF 51 OVC Services Definitions
