* Systimax working on cabling system for 10 Gigabit Ethernet over copper
Getting 10 Gigabit Ethernet to run over unshielded twisted pair wiring for a reasonable distance is going to be a nontrivial task, to say the least. One vendor laid out all the hurdles in a recent statement.
Systimax Solutions’ Systimax Labs is working on a “next-generation UTP solution” for 10 Gigabit Ethernet that the company hopes to unveil in the third quarter of this year.
Meanwhile, the IEEE is developing a standard specification for sending 10 Gigabit Ethernet over UTP, through its 802.3an 10GBase-T Task Force. That standard is not expected to be completed until mid-2006. As it is now, Category 7 wiring would be required to get 10 Gigabit rates for 100 meters, while Category 6 wiring would not reach nearly as far.
Cabling systems vendor Systimax is one of the companies trying to get the cabling to take 10 Gig farther. The company laid out these targets for its work (these are taken from the company’s statement):
* IEEE Model #1 for Insertion Loss and ANEXT for 100-meter four-connector channel performance.
* Extrapolation of all Category 6/Class E channel performance requirements to 625 MHz.
* Complete 100-meter 4-connector channel product tested with system-level tools to allow the modeling of worst-case configurations for all parameters.
* Evolutionary improvements in component design and performance.
* Installation-friendly components (including high-density apparatus and traditional round-shape cable).
* Channel performance verification by laboratory and field-testing instruments.
Despite these hurdles, the cost of copper wiring for 10 Gig still has to be low enough that it makes sense for companies to deploy it rather than just make the leap to fiber optics.
