Familiar faces taking Ethernet to new heights
 
|
|||
 | |||
|
Sign up to receive this and other networking newsletters in your inbox.
When the 10-Gigabit Ethernet Alliance was formed recently, I couldn't help but feel a certain sense of déjà vu.
That shouldn't be a surprise, because the 10-Gig Alliance is basically going for a repeat performance of the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance, widely seen to be successful. The purpose is the same: to propagandize, evangelize and otherwise promote this new, high-speed flavor of Ethernet. More importantly, perhaps, the group will coordinate efforts to insure interoperability among any products resulting from an eventual standard.
Some of the names are the same. I believe 3Com, Cisco, Intel, Nortel and Sun were founding members of the Gigabit Ethernet Alliance, and they are also founding the 10-Gig version. Some of the same individuals are also still involved with the Ethernet standards process, including Bob Grow of Intel, and Bruce Tolley, who recently moved from 3Com to Cisco.
The alliance was formed shortly after the IEEE elevated the status of its own 10-Gig study group to that of a task force. The standards work has a long way to go, and a lot of technical details have yet to be worked out. The group hopes to finish a standard by March 2002.
As of this writing, a Web site for the new alliance was not yet in place.
RELATED LINKS
In addition to writing this newsletter, Jeff Caruso edits Network World's e-mail newsletters from his office on New York's Long Island. If you would like to make suggestions about newsletter format or content, or even just express your opinion on today's topic, you can reach Jeff at jcaruso@nww.com.
High Speed LANs archive
Past newsletters.
Network World, 02/11/00.
Newsletter: Serving a gigabit
Network World, 01/17/00.
Can Ethernet span LAN, MAN and WAN?
Network World, 01/17/00.
10-Gigabit Ethernet off to a running start
Network World, 11/29/99.
Son of Gigabit Ethernet
Network World, 08/09/99.
