Mplify Alliance
The Mplify Alliance, originally Metro Ethernet Forum and later MEF Forum, is a nonprofit international industry consortium, of network, cloud, and technology providers. It was originally dedicated to Carrier Ethernet networks and services, and in recent years, significantly broadened its scope, which now includes underlay connectivity services such as Optical, Carrier Ethernet, IP, along with overlay digital services including SD-WAN Services, as well as APIs to support orchestration of the service lifecycle. Along with this change in scope, MEF re-branded from the "Metro Ethernet Forum", to simply "MEF". "MEF Forum" is MEF's legal name.
The forum is composed of service providers, incumbent local exchange carriers, network equipment vendors, cloud providers and other related organizations, within the information and communications technology industry, that share an interest in connectivity services, digital services, automation, orchestration and standardization to pragmatically enhance and accelerate the industry's digital transformation. There are approximately 200 MEF members, many of which have achieved MEF 3.0 certification of their MEF-standardized services or technology.
MEF comprises multiple technical committees to develop, evolve and promote the adoption of MEF standard services and interfaces. The forum regularly makes recommendations to, and collaborates with, existing standards bodies, such as the Internet Engineering Task Force and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
History
[image:EthernetFirstMileAlliance logo.png|thumb|Logo of the EFMA]
MEF was preceded by the Ethernet in the First Mile Alliance, also a nonprofit international industry consortium, which was established in 2001 to promote standards-based Ethernet in the first mile 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 MEF.
In 2015, MEF voted to change its name to "MEF Forum" to reflect its expansion in setting standards for network virtualization.
In 2017, the International Multimedia Telecommunications Consortium was merged into MEF.
In 2018, MEF published its first technical standards on optical transport and IP.
In June 2025, the MEF was renamed to the Mplify Alliance.
These white papers provide a comprehensive technical overview of MEF services, APIs, certification and new areas of work with MEF, based on the work of MEF's technical committees.
Technical specifications
As of October 2020, MEF had approved and published 80 technical standards, including amendments, excluding superseded standards: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 'MEF 7.2 Carrier Ethernet Information Model '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 'MEF 10.3.1 Composite Performance Metric Amendment to MEF 10.3MEF 11 User Network Interface Requirements and FrameworkMEF 12.1 Carrier Ethernet Network Architecture Framework Part 2: Ethernet Services Layer 'MEF 13 User Network Interface 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 OAM MEF 22.1 Mobile Backhaul Phase 2 Implementation Agreement 'MEF 22.1.1 Amendment to MEF 22.1 – Small Cell BackhaulMEF 23.1 Class of Service Phase 2 Implementation Agreement '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 –Phase 2 'MEF 27 Abstract Test Suite For UNI Type 2 Part 5: Enhanced UNI Attributes & Part 6: L2CP HandlingMEF 28 External Network Network Interface Support for UNI Tunnel Access and Virtual UNIMEF 29 Ethernet Services ConstructsMEF 30.1 Service OAM Fault Management Implementation Agreement Phase 2 'MEF 30.1.1 Amendment to SOAM FM IAMEF 31 Service OAM Fault Management Definition of Managed Objects MEF 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 'MEF 36.1 Service OAM SNMP MIB for Performance Monitoring '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 MEF 41 Generic Token Bucket AlgorithmMEF 42 ENNI and OVC Definition of Managed Objects MEF 43 Virtual NID Functionality for E-Access ServicesMEF 44 Virtual NID Definition of Managed Objects 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