Power 10 to Go With 40 Gbe

Force10 Networks will integrate the rising IEEE standard 40 Gigabit Ethernet (40 GbE) into its switch/router solutions to offer the most reasonable incremental step from 10 GbE for dynamic data centers.

The company says that 40 GbE currently represents a more economical increase in Ethernet transmission rates than stepping up to 100 GbE technologies.

From the uplink at the server edge to the network core, Force10 plans to take a guidance role and develop solutions focused on this important emerging IEEE standard. 40 GbE is expected to be ratified by the IEEE in June.

It is an stimulating time as the outlay made by the industry over the past four years in 40 GbE and 100 GbE is set to conclude in June with the authorization of the IEEE P802.3ba standard, said John D'Ambrosia, chair of the IEEE P802.3ba Task Force and director of standards for Force10 Networks. This standard will offer the tools needed to add bandwidth and reduce intricacy in the data centre.

Michael Howard, co-founder and principal forecaster for carrier and data centre networks, Infonetics Research added the inevitable rout of data is causing scaling problems in data centers that are today limited to 10 GbE networks. Even though 100 GbE is preferred, data centre owners are looking for practical relief offered in the lower-cost 40 GbE. 100 GbE makes logic at some point as the technology becomes more cost effective, but customers want solutions to shorten their data centre networks and drive down costs today.