The Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) is an industry organization that publishes technical specifications and frameworks for Ethernet services and related communications networks. It is not an internet provider or a network you subscribe to: its documents give service providers and vendors shared ways to describe services, interfaces, architecture and management.
What does MEF stand for in networking?
MEF stands for Metro Ethernet Forum. The name can refer to the organization itself or, informally, to its body of standards. Those standards describe how services and network components are structured; they are not a single technology product or a specific Metro Ethernet connection.
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In a 2004 specification, MEF described itself as “a non-profit international organization accelerating industry cooperation on Metro Ethernet technology.” The statement appears in MEF 3.
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What does the Metro Ethernet Forum do?
MEF develops specifications that help communications providers and equipment vendors use consistent service definitions and technical models. Its official catalog includes documents covering service definitions, network architecture, information and data models, and other technical subjects. The catalog also marks some documents as superseded, so a document number alone does not establish that a specification is current.
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- GIGABIT ETHERNET PORTS: Features 5 x 1.0Gbps Ethernet ports for high-speed connectivity. Auto-negotiating ports detect the optimal speed for connected devices and work with existing Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cables.
- PLUG-AND-PLAY UNMANAGED NETWORK SWITCH: Simple plug-and-play setup with no software to install or configuration required.
- FLEXIBLE MOUNTING OPTIONS: Compact metal design supports desktop or wall-mount placement for versatile installation.
- SILENT & ENERGY-EFFICIENT OPERATION: Fanless design ensures silent performance, while IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet reduces power consumption without compromising high-speed network performance.
- REGIONAL COMPATIBILITY: Made for use in U.S. & CA only
MEF’s foundational architecture framework describes a Metro Ethernet Network (MEN) in terms of three layers:
- Ethernet-services layer: the Ethernet services offered across the network.
- Transport-services layer: the transport functions that support those services.
- Application-services layer: networks and services that use the underlying transport and Ethernet capabilities.
That layered model appears in MEF 4, the Metro Ethernet Network Architecture Framework, published in May 2004. It shows why “Metro Ethernet” in MEF documents is broader than a single city-based network: the framework organizes service and network functions rather than defining a geographic boundary.
Rank #2
- 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗠𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: 5× 10/100/1000Mbps RJ45 Ports supporting Auto Negotiation and Auto MDI/MDIX.
- 𝗚𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆: Latest innovative energy-efficient technology greatly expands your network capacity with much less power consumption and helps save money.
- 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁: IEEE 802.3X flow control provides reliable data transfer and Fanless design ensures quiet operation.
- 𝗣𝗹𝘂𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝘆: Easy setup with no software installation or configuration needed.
- 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: Prioritize your traffic and guarantee high quality of video or voice data transmission with Port-based 802.1p/DSCP QoS and IGMP Snooping.
What are MEF standards used for?
Defining Ethernet service types
MEF 6.3 defines Subscriber Ethernet Service Types for point-to-point, multipoint-to-multipoint, and rooted-multipoint services. These terms describe different ways endpoints can communicate through an Ethernet service. The MEF standards catalog lists the document and its status.
Carrying legacy circuit traffic
MEF 3 addresses Circuit Emulation Services: carrying time-division multiplexing (TDM) traffic over a Carrier Ethernet network. This provides an example of how Carrier Ethernet can accommodate traffic associated with legacy circuit-based networks. MEF 3 was published in 2004, so it is an example of MEF’s work, not evidence that it is the latest implementation guidance. Check the catalog for the current status and any superseding documents before relying on it for a design.
Rank #3
- GIGABIT ETHERNET PORTS: Features 8 x 1.0Gbps Ethernet ports for high-speed connectivity. Auto-negotiating ports detect the optimal speed for connected devices and work with existing Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cables.
- PLUG-AND-PLAY UNMANAGED NETWORK SWITCH: Simple plug-and-play setup with no software to install or configuration required.
- FLEXIBLE MOUNTING OPTIONS: Compact metal design supports desktop or wall-mount placement for versatile installation.
- SILENT & ENERGY-EFFICIENT OPERATION: Fanless design ensures silent performance, while IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet reduces power consumption without compromising high-speed network performance.
- REGIONAL COMPATIBILITY: Made for use in U.S. & CA only
Managing interfaces and connections
Specifications can cover operations and management as well as service design. MEF 40, published in April 2013, specifies management information for configuring and monitoring the User Network Interface (UNI) and Ethernet Virtual Connection (EVC). A UNI is the interface between a customer and provider network; an EVC is a logical Ethernet service connection described in MEF’s service framework.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to check whether a MEF specification is current
- Open the official MEF standards catalog.
- Find the document by its number or title, then check the catalog’s listed status and version.
- Look for a superseding document if the entry is marked superseded, or if you are using an older specification for implementation work.
- Use the document itself for its scope and technical requirements; do not infer current guidance from a familiar MEF number or an old architecture example.
MEF 4’s resource page says MEF standards are intended for general distribution and may be downloaded without charge. If reproducing material from a specification, follow the attribution notice on that particular document.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- PLUG-AND-PLAY - Easy setup with no configuration or no software needed
- ETHERNET SPLITTER Connectivity to your router or modem router for additional wired connections (laptop, gaming console, printer, etc.)
- 5 Port FAST ETHERNET - 5 10/100 Mbps auto-negotiation RJ45 ports greatly expand network capacity
- COST EFFECTIVE - Fanless Quiet Design, Desktop design
- RELIABLE - IEEE 802.3x flow control provides reliable data transfer
Rank #4
- 【One Switch Made to Expand Network】Features 5 RJ45 ports with 10/100/1000Mbps speeds, supporting Auto-Negotiation and Auto MDI/MDIX for hassle-free setup. Ideal for expanding your network, with 1 uplink (input) port and 4 output ports to split your Ethernet connection to multiple devices.
- 【Gigabit that Saves Energy】Latest innovative energy-efficient technology greatly expands your network capacity with much less power consumption and helps save money
- 【Reliable and Quiet】IEEE 802.3X flow control provides reliable data transfer and Fanless design ensures quiet operation
- 【Plug and Play】Easy setup with no software installation or configuration needed
- 【Ethernet Splitter】Connect to your router or modem for additional wired connections (laptop, gaming console, printer, etc)
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