What is the future of ethernet?

Ethernet is a proven technology that has progressively evolved from low bandwidth coaxial, to 10BaseT, switching, 100BaseT and now to the emergent gigabit technology. IT innovation moves so rapidly that only sound methods and architectures will stand the test of time. Greater reliance on networks, increased multi-media development and the need for high bandwidth across backbones to the desktop has spurred ethernet's change.

The explosion in the use of intranets has heightened the need for networks that can carry out their usual resource sharing tasks and convey information graphically. An intranet is basically a LAN operating with TCP/IP. The Faculty of Information Technology network at the University of Brighton is an intranet. Large commercial organisations see intranets as an ideal way of operating a client/server environment, accessing the internet and communicating effectively with employees.

ATM has long been considered a reliable wide area technology, but the need to provide quality video conferencing and guaranteed quality of service (QoS), has seen some organisations install ATM to the desktop. Whilst this is still quite rare, ATM is a strong contender for networking high bandwidth applications.

In addition to gigabit, isochronous ethernet is being developed. The IEEE have ratified a standard (802.9a), for the so-called isoethernet, that will enable existing ethernet infrastructures to support multimedia. Isoethernet is a marriage of ethernet with ISDN technology that should provide the sought after quality of service that conventional ethernet lacks. A network is said to be isochronous when it can operate in real time and support such things as conversations across continents with no time delay. It is different to ATM in that it runs at a maximum of 100Mbps and the use of ISDN means that buffers are not required to smooth out fast bursts folowed by slower transmission. Isoethernet is simple to integrate in an existing 10BaseT network by installing an isochronous hub and isochronous network interface cards.

Gigabit ethernet is seen primarily as a technology with which to create high speed backbones. It offers 1Gbps and is not seen as daunting to install as ATM for network managers familiar with existing ethernet. Whilst gigabit does not offer QoS, sectors of the industry are keen for gigabit to adopt some sort of standard. 1000BaseT is gigabit ethernet over existing Cat5 UTP media, specified by IEEE 802.3ab. The IEEE envisage that the standard will be fully ratified by 1999.  Manufacturers such as 3Com and Cisco are keen to provide the industry with equipment prior to the full ratification of the standard.
 

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