The foundational standard for reliable enterprise networking is being formally updated for the age of artificial intelligence. The Mplify Alliance has announced a major evolution of its Carrier Ethernet certification program, introducing a new "Carrier Ethernet for AI" certification designed to validate that network services can meet the stringent performance demands of AI workloads, including distributed training and real-time inference.
Mplify Alliance launches a new Carrier Ethernet for AI certification for service providers.
The certification validates network reliability and performance for AI workloads.
The existing MEF 3.0 certification is rebranded as "Carrier Ethernet for Business."
It addresses use cases like data center interconnect for AI training and edge-to-GPU connectivity.
The new AI certification will be available in early 2026.
This evolution aims to provide a trusted benchmark for AI-ready networking.
The updated program establishes two complementary certification profiles. The well-established MEF 3.0 certification has been rebranded as Carrier Ethernet for Business, maintaining its role as the benchmark for predictable, standards-based enterprise services. Building directly upon this foundation is the new Carrier Ethernet for AI certification, which specifically validates the reliability, flexibility, and efficiency required to coordinate distributed AI models and connect AI peripherals to edge computing resources.
AI workloads, particularly distributed training and low-latency inference, depend on high-speed infrastructure with guaranteed performance, minimal latency, and near-zero packet loss. The new AI certification provides a clear standard for service providers to demonstrate their networks can deliver the deterministic performance that these applications require. Key use cases include data center-to-data center links for AI training and connectivity between AI applications and edge GPU clusters.
“AI is redefining what networks must deliver,” said Daniel Bar Lev, Chief Product Officer, Mplify. “With the Carrier Ethernet for AI certification, Mplify is extending the proven foundation of Carrier Ethernet for Business into the AI era, equipping providers to deliver deterministic performance, automated, and intelligent networks that power the next generation of NaaS and agentic AI applications.”
For over two decades, Carrier Ethernet has been the gold standard for reliable wide-area networking. This evolution positions it as the underlying foundation for the emerging Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) ecosystem, ensuring that the networks powering AI applications are built on a proven, certified, and performance-assured base. This gives enterprises the confidence that their mission-critical AI operations are running on infrastructure validated for the task.
The introduction of the Carrier Ethernet for AI certification marks a significant step in maturing the AI infrastructure landscape. By providing a clear, industry-backed benchmark, Mplify is enabling service providers to differentiate their AI-ready offerings and helping enterprises select network partners capable of supporting their most demanding next-generation applications.
About Mplify
Mplify is a global alliance of network, cloud, cybersecurity, and enterprise organizations working together to accelerate the AI-powered digital economy through standardization, automation, certification, and collaboration. As the defining authority behind Carrier Ethernet, Lifecycle Service Orchestration (LSO) APIs, and certified SASE and SD-WAN, Mplify has developed the global blueprint for Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) that is empowering the industry to innovate, interoperate, and scale trusted network services across a global ecosystem.
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