Gigabit copper pedal to metal

Vendors ready Gigabit Ethernet over copper cards.

By Jeff Caruso
Network World, 05/10/99

It's been a long, tough road for Gigabit Ethernet running over Category 5 copper wiring. But this week's NetWorld+Interop 99 could very well host the first public demonstrations of the technology.

Vendors were still scrambling late last week to make their copper Gigabit Ethernet hardware work properly for demonstrations at the trade show in Las Vegas. Early network interface cards (NIC) from Alteon WebSystems and Packet Engines are expected to be shown, although it's unlikely that any switches will be ready.

Industry watchers have long said that developing a working Category 5 version of Gigabit Ethernet is vital to lowering Gigabit Ethernet prices and increasing the technology's acceptance. Category 5 wiring and products that support it are usually cheaper than their fiber-optic counterparts, and they are more widely installed in enterprises. Some observers say copper versions of Gigabit Ethernet products could cost up to 50% less than fiber ones.

It will be easier to extend Gigabit Ethernet across more servers once a copper version of the technology is available, says Kurtis Lindemann, network specialist at Ohio State University's college of business, which already uses Gigabit Ethernet over fiber.

In a couple of years, a copper version also may open the door for Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop, he adds.

But developing the physical layer (PHY) interface for the copper version has been difficult, leading to numerous delays and false starts from PHY chip manufacturers, according to gigabit equipment vendors.

One of the most prominent chip makers, Broadcom, supplies Alteon, 3Com, Cisco, Nortel Networks and others.

Last August, Broadcom announced it would have copper Gigabit Ethernet prototypes ready at the end of 1998.

But the company is still working out the kinks and is expected to make an announcement about it this week. Broadcom is trying to get chips to equipment vendors this month, industry sources say.

Last week, Broadcom rival SEEQ Technologies also revealed it will have sample PHY chips ready this summer, with volume shipments in the fall.

Switches and NICs built on the new PHY chips are expected to ship soon after equipment vendors receive the chips. "Our boards are totally ready," says Drusie Demopoulos, vice president of marketing at Foundry Networks. Demopoulos says it will take about a month of tests after getting the chips before Foundry can offer commercial products.

Similarly, Alteon has had its NICs ready since last October's Interop and is just waiting for PHY chips.

Extreme Networks hopes to demonstrate 1000Base-T on its BlackDiamond switch this week.

Much unresolved

Despite the anticipated payoff of Category 5 equipment, vendors agree that initial 1000Base-T products won't be much cheaper than their fiber counterparts - at least, not initially.

As copper prices fall, fiber Gigabit Ethernet product prices will be forced down as well.

The price difference will be an important factor in users' decisions. "If the price is close, you might as well go with fiber," Ohio State's Lindemann says.

Copper-based Gigabit Ethernet technology also faces a challenge in that it is unproven in real-world environments. "I would be concerned about the reliability and performance of Gigabit Ethernet over copper," says Mike Ackermann, manager of network planning and design at Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan in Detroit.

Another consideration is that the distance of the copper version is limited to 100 meters, while fiber Gigabit Ethernet can stretch for kilometers (see story).

On the standards side, 1000Base-T is due to be ratified by the IEEE in September.