Evolution of Ethernet Speeds - What’s New and What’s Next

Evolution of Ethernet Speeds - What’s New and What’s Next
- See more at: https://www.nanog.org/meetings/abstract?id=2576#sthash.nANbxPbO.dpuf

In this presentations we'll talk about the latest Ethernet developments that are bringing a variety of new technology to the market for different applications with speeds ranging from 2.5 GE to 400 GE. We'll take a look at the new 2.5 GE, 5 GE and 25 GE speeds, 2nd generation 40 GE and 100 GE, 400 GE and what's possible in the future.

Expect 802.11ax to go four times faster than 802.11ac.

"If we go for the more conservative 4x estimate, and assume a massive 160MHz channel, the maximum speed of a single 802.11ax stream will be around 3.5Gbps (compared with 866Mbps for a single 802.11ac stream). Multiply that out to a 4×4 MIMO network and you get a total capacity of 14Gbps." http://www.extremetech.com/computing/184685-what-is-802-11ax-wifi-and-do-you-really-need-a-10gbps-connection-to-your-laptop

NBASET - "everyone except Broadcom"

For 25Gbps there is an SFP28 - same size as 10Gig.

40Gbps - done and in good shape. Popular in DCs with breakout cables. There is now a 40km SM interface.

100Gbps - in 2nd generation. 1M 100GE ports projected in 2016. In "early majority" phase of market adoption. (OSI 100Gbps transceivers are down to $20K currently.) QSFP28 down to 3.5W for 100Gbps transceiver. Currently four different vendor MSAs to do short reach (2km or 500m) for 100Gbps. Market will sort it out. 100Gbps signaling is still just on/off signaling.

400Gbps uses complex modulation - can't blink the light on/off fast enough with current electronics. 802.3bs task force to develop interfaces for 400Gbps. 400GBASE-SR16 - 16 x 25Gbps over parallel MMF. strong desire to support 10km.

Expect 100Gbps standard by 2017, first interfaces some time after that. Initial modules CDFP for short reach. CFP2 (old 100Gbps module) which has 8x50Gbps electrical interface.

Some time in 2020+ expect serial signaling at 400 Gbps, which will make terabit possible by combining multiple 400 Gbps serial flows.

Could see some new standards around 50 Gbps signaling as a result of work around 25Gbps.

"We are still a ways away from 400 Gbps serial signaling, but will get there eventually."

"At higher speeds and longer distances (beyond the standard) it gets into optical company secret sauce and you will have to deal with the vendors for 40 and 80km."

Q: what about MTU negotiation in auto-negotiation? A: no interest in IEEE to define maximum frame size due to installed base. Customers could insist on it if they want. (Note that standard Ethernet max frame size is now 2k, which holds 1500B of data and 482B of vlan ID/tags/labels/whatever)