Brocade: 10 Gidabit Ethernet technology overview white paper

The One Gigabit Ethernet standard is already being deployed in large numbers in both corporate and public data networks, and has begun to move Ethernet from the realm of the local area network out to encompass the metro area network.

Meanwhile, an even faster 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard is nearing completion. This latest standard is being driven not only by the increase in normal data traffic but also by the proliferation of new, bandwidth-intensive applications, including motion video.

The draft standard for 10 Gigabit Ethernet is significantly different in some respects from earlier Ethernet standards, primarily in that it will only function over optical fiber, and only operate in full-duplex mode, meaning that collision detection protocols are unnecessary.

Because of these characteristics, Ethernet can now step up to 10 gigabits per second, however, it remains Ethernet, including the packet format, and the current capabilities are easily transferable to the new draft standard.

In addition, 10 Gigabit Ethernet does not obsolete current investments in network infra- structure. The task force heading the standards effort has taken pains to see that 10 Gigabit Ethernet is interoperable with other networking technologies such as SONET and has carefully added technology to the standard to enable Ethernet packets to travel across SONET links with very little inefficiency.

Ethernet's expansion for use in metro area networks can now be expanded yet again onto wide area networks, both in concert with SONET and also end-to-end Ethernet.

With the current balance of network traffic today heavily favoring packet-switched data over voice, it is expected that the new 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard will help to create a convergence between networks designed primarily for voice, and the new data centric networks.

This Brocade white paper looks at:

• A brief history of Ethernet

• The 10 Gigabit Ethernet project

• The 10 Gigabit Ethernet alliance

• 10 GEA membership

• Standards activities

• Standards process flow

• The 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard

• Chip interface (XAUI)

• Physical media dependent(PMDs)

• Physical Layer PHYs)

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet in the marketplace

• Applications for 10 Gigabit Ethernet

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet in Local Area Networks

• 10 Gibabit Ethernet in Metropolitan and Storage Area Networks

• 10 Gigabit Ethernet in Wide Area Networks

• Conclusion