VPLS can be used to transport Ethernet frames to and from multiple, geographically dispersed sites belonging to a customer Virtual Private Network (VPN). The Provider Edge (PE) devices connecting the customer sites provide functions similar to a Layer 2 switch.
Equivalent Ranks to an Army Master Sergeant A Master Sergeant is a Noncommissioned Officer, with a military paygrade of E-8. The civilian equivalent of this military rank is roughly GS-6 under the federal government's General Schedule payscale.
Staff sergeant (SSG) is E-6 rank in the U.S. Army, just above sergeant and below sergeant first class, and is a non-commissioned officer. Staff sergeants are generally placed in charge of squads, but can also act as platoon sergeants in the absence of a sergeant first class.