Technology Overview
Ethernet technology spans from home networks and PCs in the workplace through the Local Area Network (LAN) and into the Wide Area Network (WAN) or carrier network.
Many IEEE subcommittees are in process to help perform marketing studies, assess costs, develop standards framework and help to drive Ethernet performance even further.
Specifically, IEEE 802.3 is a standard specification for Ethernet, a method of physical communication in a local area network (LAN), which is maintained by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). In general, 802.3 specifies the physical media and the working characteristics of Ethernet. The original Ethernet supports a data rate of 10 megabits per second (Mbps) and specifies these possible physical media.
Subcommittees supporting Emerging Technologies
This subcommittee is driving consensus in the IEEE 802.3av Task Force with efforts to extend the speed of EPON networks to 10Gb/s. This will provide subscriber access to networks using multipoint fiber technologies. The project will include 10Gb/s bi-directional traffic, or 10Gb/s down and 1Gb/s upstream flows.
The 10GBASE-T subcommittee is driving the market adoption of the completed 802.3an standard by demonstrating product in trade-shows, producing white papers, and building market interest in this new and useful technology.
White Papers
10GBASE-T: 10Gigabit Ethernet over Twisted-pair Copper (1698 KB, pdf)
This white paper addresses three key topics about 10GBASE-T: the reason for 10GBASE-T, including a description of some 10GBASE-T applications; how it works, which explores the fundamental technology; and how you use it, which explains cabling and field-testing issues.
The Backplane Ethernet subcommittee is driving the market adoption of the completed 802.3an standard by demonstrating product in trade-shows, producing white papers, and building market interest in this broadly desired technology.
Press Releases
· Ethernet Alliance® Members Planning More Interoperability Demonstrations of Backplane Ethernet
The goal of the Carrier Ethernet Subcommittee is to provide a stronger relationship between the Ethernet Alliance's system and component vendors, the IEEE 802 standards efforts and the MEF. The subcommittee will also work to establish relationships either directly or indirectly with other organizations, such as the ITU, to ensure that others are aware of the effort to establish a stronger Carrier Ethernet ecosystem.
The Data Center Ethernet subcommittee will address the challenge that there is no current, collective standards effort driving a holistic approach to Ethernet that is optimized for future trends in data centers.
Press Releases
· Ethernet Alliance® Forms Data Center Subcommittee
Articles
· 10 Gigabit Ethernet Options for the Data Center, The Data Center Journal (9/23/2008)
· Ethernet Alliance hones focus on the datacenter space (6/19/08)
· Ethernet Alliance Looks at Data Center (6/18/08)
· Group probes PHY issues on data center apps (6/18/08)
· Ethernet Alliance Wraps Around Data Centers (6/18/08)
· Ethernet Alliance Delves into Data Center-Class Ethernet (6/17/08)
· Ethernet Alliance Forms Data Center Subcommittee (6/17/08)
Presentations
The Ethernet Aliance announces the formation of the Data Center Subcommittee (981 KB)
The Data Center Subcommittee is focused on existing and emerging Ethernet technologies and standards for the Data Center.
This subcommittee is has developed baseline proposals accepted by the IEEE 802.3az Task Force mechanisms to reduce energy consumption by networking equipment, and communicate state and control information through the network to enable/disable energy efficient modes of operation.
White Papers
Improving the Energy Efficiency of the Ethernet-Connected Devices: A Proposal for Proxying (477 KB, pdf)
September 2007: This new proxying capability will enable existing PC power management features to be much more utilized, and can do so without requiring changes to existing network applications.
PAUSE Power Cycle: A New Backwards Compatible Method to reduce Energy Use of Ethernet Switches (374 KB, pdf)
Energy efficient Ethernet switches can provide significant global savings in electricity consumption. In this white paper, a new backwards compatible method for achieving energy savings in Ethernet switches is designed, emulated, and evaluated.
This subcommittee is has developed baseline proposals accepted by the IEEE 802.3ba Task Force for increased performance levels for data center and long-haul networking applications. The project includes backplanes, short-reach copper cabling, medium reach multi-strand fiber, and long-reach single-mode fiber physical layers.
White Papers
Overview of Requirements and Applications for 40 Gigabit and 100 Gigabit Ethernet (1018 KB, pdf)
Service providers have become increasingly challenged to accommodate customer requests for services; 100GbE is the indentified solution for providing the next generation of internet connectivity to continue to fuel the delivery of new services and content to the consumer and business customers.
This subcommittee is driving consensus with efforts to extend the power delivery and port-level resiliency capabilities of 802.3af in the IEEE 802.3at Task Force, which would largely extend the number of applications that could benefit from Power over Ethernet. The enhanced power levels are intended to broaden the range of applications to include 802.11n Wireless Access Points, PTZ Cameras, and Color VoIP phones. In addition, using LLDP, the ability to finely manage power distribution is being added.
White Papers
Power Over Ethernet Plus (156 KB, pdf)
The standard for Power over Ethernet (PoE), IEEE Std. 802.3af™-2003, helped increase the value of an Ethernet port by connecting and powering devices such as IP Phones using a common network infrastructure. Power over Ethernet Plus (PoE Plus) or IEEE P802.3at promises to deliver more power to enable a new breed of Ethernet devices and continue to support IEEE 802.3af.
Press Releases
· Ethernet Alliance Hosts Webcast to Explore the Market and Emerging Applications for PoE Plus
Articles
· Power Over Ethernet Plus standard may be ready by 2009 (5/08)
Webinar
· 'PoE Plus: Impact on the PoE' Marketing Webinar
The 802.3aq task force within the IEEE has completed its work, however the SFF-8431 continues to work on an MSA that is committed to demonstrating that both SFP+ receiver choices can be supported by using an EDC, and the technology is ready and is compliance to 10Gb/s IEEE 802.3ae and 802.3aq standards. Ethernet Alliance is helping to drive adoption of the SFP+ and EDC technologies in the market.
White Papers
SFP+ Interoperability Demonstration White Paper (664 KB, pdf)
In April 2008, Ethernet Alliance members AMCC, Avago Technologies, Broadcom, ClariPhy, Cortina Systems, ExceLight Communications, Finisar, Gennum, Inphi, Intel, JDSU, MergeOptics, NetLogic Microsystems, Opnext and Vitesse successfully conducted multi-vendor interoperability testing of SFP+ 10GBASE-SR and 10GBASE-LR optical interfaces. This white paper provides additional detail about the testing setup, procedure and test results
Next Meeting:
This dedicated subcommittee would focus on those aspects of IEEE 802 Ethernet standards to permit Ethernet Alliance members to build interoperable products that meet the market's expectations. These efforts will support the Ethernet industry's growth and competitiveness by moving beyond single point products and ideas to offering complete solutions.
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