[LINK] Next Gen Ethernet

stephen at melbpc.org.au stephen at melbpc.org.au
Wed Jul 25 16:55:57 AEST 2007


At 04:06 PM 25/07/2007, Marghanita da Cruz writes:

> the relevant committee at
> http://www.standards.org.au

Speaking of standards ...

IEEE group settles on faster Ethernet plans 
By Stephen Lawson, IDG News Service July 24, 2007 
<http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/07/24/IEEE-settles-on-faster-
Ethernet_1.html?source=NLC-TB&cgd=2007-07-24>

A Higher Speed Study Group votes to work on a single standard that covers 
both 40Gbps and 100Gbps speeds

A technical group working on the next generation of Ethernet has agreed to 
disagree and will now work on a single standard that covers both 40Gbps 
and 100Gbps speeds. 

The Higher Speed Study Group (HSSG), part of the IEEE (Institute of 
Electrical and Electronics Engineers), made the decision last week at its 
meeting in San Francisco after months of debate between backers of the two 
speeds. If the IEEE approves the move late this year as expected, a 
standard may be completed by mid-2010, said John D'Ambrosia, chair of the 
HSSG. 

Ethernet has sped up by a multiple of 10 several times, from 10Mbps to 
100Mbps and ultimately from 1Gbps to 10Gbps, the current fastest version. 
Some HSSG members backed a similar boost this time and that 100Gbps plan 
appeared to have won out late last year. But others pushed for a 40Gbps 
standard. 

Different applications were at the heart of the disagreement, according to 
D'Ambrosia. The need for speed is growing everywhere, but at different 
rates. While the data output of servers doubles roughly every 24 months, 
the amount of traffic on carrier networks is doubling every 18 months, 
according to D'Ambrosia. Members more interested in faster server-to-
switch applications pushed for a 40Gbps goal, while those aiming at 
network aggregation and backbones favored 100Gbps. The higher speed means 
more expensive and power-hungry equipment. 

"I wouldn't say there was a fight. I would say there was an education 
going on and it got heated at times," D'Ambrosia said.

Now a single standard, to be called IEEE 802.3ba, will include 
specifications for both speeds. Each will offer a selection of physical 
interfaces: There will be specifications for 40Gbps links up to 1 meter 
long for switch backplanes, 10 meters for copper cable and 100 meters for 
multimode fiber. For 100G bps, the group will standardize 10-meter copper 
links, 100-meter multimode fiber links and 10-kilometer and 40-kilometer 
distances on single-mode fiber. 

It's the first time an Ethernet standards task group has pursued two 
speeds in one standard, according to D'Ambrosia. "One size doesn't fit 
all, in this case," he said. 
--

Cheers, people
Stephen Loosley
Victoria, Australia



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