If 10-Gigabit Ethernet truly promises to be the high-speed, unifying technology for networking applications in LANs, MANs and WANs. In LAN applications, 10-Gigabit Ethernet will enable organizations to scale their packet-based networks from 10 Mb/s to 10,000 Mb/s, thus leveraging their investments in
Ethernet. In MAN and WAN applications, 10-Gigabit Ethernet will enable service providers and others to create extremely high-speed links at very low cost.
In the days when Ethernet was first conceived there was revolution in the air.
Today 10-Gigabit Ethernet is about to bring to light the Information Revolution.
A 10GEA task force has made special effort to make sure 10-Gigabit Ethernet is interoperable with other networking technologies such as SONET, the pervasive network topology in most global regions today. The task force has also recommended the inclusion of special technology to allow Ethernet packets to travel across SONET links with high efficiency. This will help expand Ethernet’s use in wide area networks to deliver end-to-end convergence of voice, data and video.
In September 2001, the 10-Gigabit Ethernet Alliance hosted the world’s first multi-vendor 10-Gigabit Ethernet technology demonstration at the Fall Networld+Interop show in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. A diverse collection of 10-Gigabit Ethernet products from the 18 industry-leading network vendors comprised the demonstration, which was staged in the 10GEA booth #2257 on the tradeshow floor.
The 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology demonstration was comprised of a comprehensive range of products including systems test equipment, components and cabling. Multiple 10 GbE technologies were used in the demo including five of seven port types specified in the IEEE 802.ae (10 GbE) draft:
- 10GBASE-LR
- 10GBASE-LW
- 10GBASE-SR
- 10GBASE-EW
- 10GBASE-ER
These port types included three of the four optical transceivers, or PMDs. As part of the 10-Gigabit Ethernet technology demonstration, several companies were showing chip-to-chip communication over the 802.3ae XAUI interface.
Used throughout the demonstration was the SYSTIMAX LazrSPEED Solution from Avaya. The 300-meter 10-Gigabit capable fiber carried live 10-Gigabit Ethernet transmissions between two 850 nm 10GBASE-SR ports over a 300-meter distance in replication of the LAN backbone environment. The LazrSPEED cabling solution is the world’s first 10-Gigabit 300-meter Laser-Optimized Multimode fiber cabling implementation available for lowest-cost 850 nm serial applications. The demonstration showcased a new approach to 10-Gigabit Ethernet technology that enables the lowest-cost 10-Gigabit transport for both local area networks and metropolitan access.
“We are pleased to host such a significant technology demonstration,” commented Bob Grow, Chairman of the Board of the 10-Gigabit Ethernet Alliance and Engineering Fellow at Intel Corp. “This collection of products and technologies is the result of years of industry collaboration. This demonstration moves us to the next phase of 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology — deploying products in multi-vendor networks around the world.”
As we know, basic Ethernet has withstood the test of time to become the most widely adopted networking technology in the world. Much of the world’s data transfer begins and ends with an Ethernet connection. Today, we are in the midst of an Ethernet renaissance spurred on by surging e-business and the demand for low cost IP services. Service providers are looking for higher capacity solutions to simplify and reduce the cost of network connectivity while maintaining high levels of reliability, and enterprise network managers are searching for remedies for network congestion, load balancing and user outages. Now Ethernet, in its 10-Gigabit implementation, will extend its proven value set and economics to provide:
- Lowest total cost of ownership (infrastructure/operational/ human capital);
- Straightforward migration to higher performance levels;
- Proven multi-vendor and installed base interoperability;
- Unencumbered media rich application adoption; and
- A familiar network management feature set.
Michel Barnick is the solutions marketing director, connectivity solutions, for Avaya. Barnick develops the strategic messaging and positioning for Systimax SCS and offers marketing salesware and communication activities in support of sales and Business Partners.
