The least defined issue of architecting a 100 Gigabit Ethernet system is power, Force10 Networks Chief Scientist Joel Goergen said at OFC/NFOEC 2007. As the standards bodies continue to define a 100 Gigabit Ethernet standard, a more comprehensive understanding of the issue is required to ensure systems meet end user requirements.
Traditionally, power and cooling concerns have been afterthoughts in designing standards, said Goergen during the premier international event for both the science and business of optical communications. The complexities of a 100 Gigabit Ethernet system, however, require not only an understanding of end user environmental requirements and constraints but also a comprehensive understanding of power consumption and cooling needs within the system. In data centers and service provider networks, power is a limited resource and the time to bring new circuits online can take three or more months. More importantly, the cost of delivering additional power can be prohibitive to end users. Further complicating the issue is the cooling that is required as more power is consumed.
Given the power and cooling issues large data centers and service providers face today, bringing 100 Gigabit Ethernet to these environments presents a significant challenge, continued Goergen. For 100 Gigabit Ethernet to be an effective technology within the constraints of existing environments, extensive work must be accomplished at the system level to ensure maximum power and cooling efficiency.
The IEEE 802.3 Higher Speed Study Group has begun the process of defining a 100 Gigabit Ethernet standard. With the initial steps underway, a standard is expected as early as 2009. Goergen holds six US patents for his advances in designing high speed copper backplanes. His innovative backplane design techniques enable significant power distribution capabilities for the large number of signaling paths required to support 100 Gigabit Ethernet. Additionally, the unique construction techniques produce a reliable and economical backplane that is a passive system component and does not act as a point of failure.