Ethernet Grows Up and Out

Ethernet has come a long way since the early days with Bob Metcalf. This week, a technical working group focused on the next generation of Ethernet said that it will work on a single standard that encompasses the 40Gbps and 100Gbps speeds. There was quite a bit of controversy and debate between the supporters of each speed. But the final decision by the Higher Speed Study Group (HSSG) to build a single standard was made at their meeting in San Francisco. A finalized standard is expected by mid-2010, John D'Ambrosia, chairman of the HSSG told CIO Magazine. Why the controversy about supporting different speeds? D'Ambrosia said it came down to applications: "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," CIO notes. The proposed standard will be called IEEE 802.3ba; in addition to including specifications for both speeds, it will offer a selection of physical interfaces.

For more on the new Ethernet standard:
- learn more in this CIO Magazine article