40 Gigabit Ethernet – Getting to Know 40 Gigabit Ethernet Technology
In mid 2006, a non-profit organization of nearly 400,000 electronics professionals coming from around 150 different countries started a proposition to start publishing 40 Gigabit Ethernet technology. This organization known as the IEEE or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers was responsible for the Ethernet standards that brought us the fastest data transfer technology known to man. Currently, we still rely on the 10GbE (10 gigabit Ethernet) technology for lightning speed data transmissions.
The IEEE’s proposal was to exceed this technology’s rate of 10 gigabytes (10,000,000 bytes) every second with 4 up until 10x the speed. Because of the clear beneficial outcome of the vision, the project was started in late 2007 and a distinguished task force was formed.
The project was called the 802.3ba standard. And its main objective was to release speeds faster than the 10GbE technology, specifically in 40 and 100GbE. The 40GbE technology is directed to be used by local servers which usually need smaller service capacities when compared with internet servers to which the 100GbE technology was targeted to.
Although there are already 40 Gigabit technology being implemented by means of combining four 10GbE technology into a single mode, the aspired 40GbE is completely different. It is patterned to be like a single conventional 10GbE technology, only it will be four times the bandwidth capacity.
Having been en route for almost three years now, the project has definitely been productive. As of February 2010, the 802.3ba task force has released nine drafts, all of which successful although not yet perfected. The task force remained loyal to their aim of providing faster data transfer speed and yet still be compatible with the base 802.3, which was the original interface for the 10GbE technology.
And just like its ancestor, the 40 gigabit Ethernet technology boasts being conducive with various physical layer (PHY) standards. With the use of certain detachable modules and adjustable circuit boards, the 40GbE could provide steady connections between devices despite different range in distances.
The 40GbE technology is still not believed to be officially published until the middle of 2010, presumably in June. None the less, restrained modules are already made available by certain technological companies for various sales and testing since 2009. At this rate, it could definitely be anticipated that the 40GbE and 100GbE will change yet again another course in the history of information sharing. If the default 10GbE has already made a blast with its superb speedy performance, it is certainly to be expected that the 40 Gigabit Ethernet technology will blow the minds of a lot more people.
