Ethernet

The IEEE this week launched a study group to explore development of a 400Gbps Ethernet standard to support booming demand for network bandwidth.

Extreme Networks this week unveiled 100G and 40G Ethernet modules as well as SDN application support for its BlackDiamond X8 core switch.

A colleague who shall go unnamed is in the process or moving and has unearthed what he believes to be tainted treasure. He writes:

Cisco's FabricPath data center Ethernet technology is designed to combine traditional, Spanning Tree-based Ethernet with a next-generation architecture that uses a link-state protocol to allow for multiple active paths. Deploying multiple active paths in a data center network is required to flatten the infrastructure to reduce latency and better support traffic flow between server racks.

Ethernet has emerged as the dominant network protocol but it has to overcome several key limitations if it is to become the foundation of choice for the converged data center.

Kmart Australia will replace its local area network infrastructure with Ethernet switches, with the project set to support some 180 stores across Australia and New Zealand.

The IEEE standards body is forming a committee to assess the future bandwidth needs of large organizations and service providers, with an eye toward next steps in Ethernet standards.

IEEE 802.3az will lead to significant energy savings without a hit to performance or large up-front costs.

Brocade this week entered the 100Gbps Ethernet arena with a high-density router and module for service providers and data centers, as well as a management application for converged infrastructures.

Have you ever broken the connector on an Ethernet cable, but didn't want to go out and buy a replacement? If you only have one or two broken cable heads, it's probably not worth it to find a crimper and new RJ45 connectors. This quick, clever, and inexpensive hack from Instructables makes quick work of repairing a snapped Ethernet connector with a razor, cutting pliers, and two cable ties.

Data center managers and equipment vendors looking for greener alternatives will begin to benefit this year from a major initiative aimed at reducing the power consumed by Ethernet equipment. IEEE 802.3az, or the Energy-Efficient Ethernet (EEE) standard, will implement low-power idle (LPI) modes for the full range of Ethernet BASE-T transceivers (100Mb, 1GbE and 10GbE) and the backplane physical layer standards (1GbE, 4-lane 1GbE and 10GbE).