An Ethernet LAN-to-LAN metropolitan area network (MAN) service offering that involves centrally positioning one or more gigabit Ethernet (GbE) or 10gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) switches in a metro area. Metro Ethernet offers the advantage of carrying all traffic in native Ethernet format, with no requirement for introducing SDH/SONET, frame relay, ATM or other Physical Layer or Data Link Layer protocols that can increase both complexity and cost, while adding overhead. See also 10GbE, ATM, Data Link Layer, Ethernet, frame relay, GbE, LAN, overhead, Physical Layer, protocol, SDH, and SONET.