Gigabit Ethernet Gears Up

Screaming 1000-Mbps Gigabit Ethernet solutions will answer the increasingly loud cry for more bandwidth in late 1998.

Deborah DeVoe

Bandwidth demands continue to rise. Internet and intranet traffic are also pushing networks to their limits. Gigabit Ethernet, the latest extension of Ethernet technology, offers a tenfold increase in speed. Compatible with existing 10/100 Ethernet standards -- using the same frame format, frame size, and CSMA/CD protocol -- the technology provides a smooth migration to 1000-Mbps bandwidth while protecting companies' investments in existing Ethernet infrastructures. Initial upgrades are expected at the backbone level. But 1000 Mbps to the desktop isn't due for years, following a standard (expected in 1999) for long-haul copper, supporting 100 meters over four-pair Category 5 unshielded twisted pair (UTP) wiring.

The first Gigabit Ethernet standard, 802.3z, is expected in March, according to the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance; it will support full-duplex and half-duplex over fiber optic cable and short-haul copper (25 meters). Prestandard product s are already on the market, but the slew of standards-based products from major vendors isn't due until late 1998.

As a result, most migrations won't happen until 1999 at the earliest. Analysts note that IS managers will need time to investigate multiple other upgrade options, including ATM with its promise of a homogeneous LAN and WAN environment. Companies will also need to test the equipment before rolling it out in a production environment.

Esmeralda Silva, senior analyst at International Da ta Corporation (Framingham, MA), expects that the bulk of ports on Gigabit Ethernet boxes will remain 10/100-Mbps ports. The Gigabit Ethernet products, however, will offer companies room for growth, providing scalable high-density backplanes that can later be upgraded to 1000-Mbps ports when required. Initially, each Gigabit Ethernet port in a switch is expected to cost about $2500, with 10/100-Mbps ports in the switch priced in the $500 range, Silva says. This pricing is expected to drop quickly.

Vendors are touting Gigabit Ethernet as an easy upgrade. Analysts warn, however, that Gigabit Ethernet products will be much more sophisticated than those based on Fast Ethernet, requiring new training. Network management products will also need to handle greatly increased traffic moving 10 times faster.

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Where to Find

Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

Cupertino, CA
Phone:    408-241-8904
Internet: 
http://www.gigabit-ethernet.org




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Five Most Likely Scenarios for Gigabit Ethernet Upgrades

Five Most Likely Scenarios for Gigabit Ethernet Upgrades
Upgrade	What It Will Entail
Switch-to-switch links	Upgrading 100-Mbps link between Fast Ethernet switches or repeaters to 1 000-Mbps link between 100/1000 switches
Switch-to-server links	Replacing Fast Ethernet switch with a Gigabit Ethernet switch for a 1000-Mbps connection to high-performance server farm; installing Gigabit Ethernet NICs in servers
Switched Fast Ethernet backbone	Replacing Fast Ethernet backbone switch with Gigabit Ethernet switch supporting multiple 100/1000 switches and other devices with Gigabit Ethernet interfaces and uplinks
Shared FDDI backbone	Replacing FDDI concentrator or hub or Ethernet-to-FDDI router with Gigabit Ethernet switch or buffered distributor; installing new Gigabit Ethernet interfaces in the routers, switches, or repeaters
High-performance desktops	Eventually, in later phases of adoption, installing Gigabit Ethernet NICs in high-performance desktops that connect to Gigabit Ethernet switches or buffered distributors
Source: Gigabit Ethernet Alliance

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Gigabit Ethernet Alliance in 1998

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AT A GLANCE: Gigabit Ethernet is a new networking standard that delivers raw bandwidth of 1000 Mbps. It extends the 802.3 Ethernet standard and is fully compatible with existing 10/100 Ethernet.

WHO SUPPORTS IT: 3Com, Alteon Networks, Bay Networks, Cabletron, Cisco, Extreme Networks, Foundry Networks, Gigabit Ethernet Alliance, Gigabit Ethernet Consortium, GigaLabs, Packet Engines, Prominet, Sun, UB Networks, XLNT Designs.