Gigabit Ethernet Solutions

Gigabit Ethernet SolutionsHow 1000Mbps connectivity is helping organizations meet the need for increased network performance.

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Gigabit Ethernet Solutions Guide

Executive Summary In a scenario all too familiar to IT managers, users begin complaining ofslower response times. Networkmanagement tools indicate that a hightransaction server is hogging bandwidthin a shared domain or that server CPUutilization is not optimal – classicsymptoms of server bottlenecks. What’sthe best solution? More and more often,IT managers are turning to GigabitEthernet technology to relievebottlenecks at server connections, switchstacks and other aggregation points.

Gigabit Ethernet has been standardizedfor fiber since 1998 and most recently for

Category 5 UTP cabling as 1000Base-TGigabit Ethernet over copper. IT managers have seen the benefits ofGigabit speeds applied to the networkbackbone and in the data center. Today,with 1000Base-T, Gigabit speeds can be deployed even more widelythroughout the network using standardCategory 5 cabling.

This paper provides information aboutGigabit Ethernet, including the waysyour network can benefit from standardGigabit Ethernet implementations, andgives a variety of deployment examples.At the end of this paper, you’ll findadditional resources for furtherinvestigation of Gigabit Ethernet.

ContentsExecutive Summary 2

The Need for Speed 3

Why Organizations are Moving to Gigabit Networks 3

Server Bottlenecks 3

More Users with 100Mbps Desktops 3

Change in Application Paradigm 4

Where Gigabit Ethernet is Being Deployed 4

What is Gigabit Ethernet? 4

Benefits of Gigabit 4

Standards Evolution 5

Compatibility and Support 5

Easy 10/100/1000Mbps Migration 6

Deployment Examples 6

Gigabit Solutions from Intel 6

Scenario A 6

Scenario B 7

Scenario C 7

Conclusion 7

For More Information 8


3

The Need for Speed

Why Organizations are Moving to Gigabit NetworksThe proliferation of high performancedesktop and server processors hasinfluenced many LAN managers tomigrate their data centers and server linksfrom Ethernet to Fast Ethernet andGigabit Ethernet. This proliferation hasbeen driven by the phenomenal growth of the Internet, bandwidth-hungryapplications, and rich new data types suchas multi-media and Voice-over-IP (VoIP).As Gigabit Ethernet has gained ground,most recently with the approval ofGigabit Ethernet over copper, networkvendors have continued to support it with newer and more advanced products.

At the network infrastructure level, threeprinciple factors are associated with the growth of Fast Ethernet: Higherperformance network servers, an increasein users with 100Mbps desktops, and a paradigm shift to network-centricworkgroup and enterprise applications.Each of these factors merits a closer look.

Server BottlenecksDue to increasing demands presented bypowerful applications like e-Commerce,medical imaging and data warehousing,today’s servers are designed to processlarger files and move more data fasterthan ever before. For example, the 32-bitPCI bus in current Intel serverarchitecture already pumps out data in themulti-hundred megabit range, and thenew PCI-X bus architecture with up to133MHz PCI bus speeds will readilyhandle Gigabit Ethernet.

These capabilities are only beneficial,however, if the network and its serverconnections can support equivalent levelsof performance. Gigabit network adaptersare needed to prevent bottlenecks fromdeveloping at mission-critical servers. In fact, the majority of high performanceLAN purchases today (Figure 1) are

driven by server bottlenecks and theaddition of new servers to the network.

More Users with 100Mbps DesktopsWith the advent of Fast Ethernettechnology in the second half of the1990s, organizations became interestedin providing 10Mbps network support forolder computers while simultaneouslysupporting new, more powerfulworkstations with 100Mbps connections.To begin integrating this capability, manynetwork administrators adopted astrategy of “future proofing” the networkby using 10/100Mbps enabled adapters anddevices for any new expansion required.

Future proofing became a particularlyviable strategy after Intel introduced10/100Mbps adapters for less than the

cost of regular 10Mbps cards. Today, most10/100Mbps components cost about thesame as 10Mbps-only devices, and10/100Mbps connections are becomingstandard in new PCs.

As companies grow and infrastructures arerapidly built out in response to Internet-related opportunities, more and more usersare being added to existing networks.And, with the need to support bandwidth-intensive applications and Internetcommunications at the desktop, it’s notsurprising that the number of usersrunning Fast Ethernet is also growingrapidly (Figure 2). How does this impactthe use of Gigabit Ethernet? With 100Mbpsbandwidth at the desktop, even greaterbandwidth is required at servers andaggregation points such as switch stacks.

Server Bottlenecks

Increased Traffic From More Users

New High Performance Servers

High Performance Desktops

Quality of Service (QoS)

Lower Prices

Increased Use of Existing Apps.

Traffic From Database Replication on ServersClass of Service

53%

51%

49%

46%

41%

38%

34%

27%

26%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

% of Respondents Rating 6 or 7

Factors Driving High Performance Purchases

10/100Mb Desktops Running at 100MbEquals Need for Faster Pipe to the Server and to the AggregatingSwitch

80%

0% 53%1998

67%1999

71%2000

Trends in Desktop Speed

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Change in Application ParadigmAlong with this growth in the number ofnetwork users, there has been a change inthe way people get their work done.Several years ago, people mainly relied on the network to deliver productivityapplications, such as file and print.About 80% of network activity tookplace on the local network segment, and 20% took place on the Wide AreaNetwork (WAN).

A tremendous shift in this dynamic hasoccurred with the advent of Intranets,workgroup applications such aselectronic scheduling, and mainframeconnectivity (Figure 3). IT managershave redesigned the LAN/WAN toaccommodate this shift, and 50% ofnetwork traffic is now local while 50%travels on the WAN. The new,centralized data center model meansthat information often travels out ontoleased-lines or the Internet in order toreach far-flung offices. This traffic mustbe aggregated, using high-bandwidthGigabit equipment, before it is movedonto the WAN.

Where Gigabit Ethernet isBeing DeployedAs more and more desktops andworkgroups migrate to Fast Ethernet,aggregated traffic typically increases dramatically at the network backbone.

running bandwidth-intensive applica-tions such as video conferencing orscientific modeling.

What is GigabitEthernet?Gigabit Ethernet is based on the sameEthernet standard that IT managersalready know and use. One of the original network architectures, definedduring the 1970s, Ethernet is nowwidespread throughout the world. Fromthe first implementation of the Ethernetspecification – jointly developed byDigital, Intel and Xerox – this networkingtechnology has proven itself in terms of performance, reliability and an ever-growing number of established network installations.

Benefits of GigabitGigabit Ethernet builds on these provenqualities, but is 100 times faster thanregular Ethernet and 10 times faster thanFast Ethernet. The principal benefits ofGigabit Ethernet include:� Increased bandwidth for higher per-

formance and elimination of bottlenecks

To handle this traffic, all new backboneswitches should offer support for1000Mbps Gigabit Ethernet uplinks.Gigabit Ethernet switches along thebackbone can be used to connect hightransaction servers and segment switchesthat aggregate Fast Ethernet workgroups(Figure 4). In addition to aggregationswitches and uplinks, Gigabit Ethernetserver adapters are required.

In a common scenario, the shift to higherspeeds might occur in several phases:� Phase I – High performance Gigabit

switches aggregate backbone traffic.� Phase II – Gigabit Ethernet is switched

and routed at the network backbonewith switch-to-switch connections.

� Phase III – Greater server-to-switchbandwidth is deployed using a Gigabitswitch to support Gigabit Ethernetnetwork adapter cards, boosting serverconnections to 1000Mbps.

� Phase IV – As PCs are replaced due tonormal attrition, 10/100 or10/100/1000 network interfaces arespecified. Older switches are replacedto selectively take Fast or GigabitEthernet down to the desktop. GigabitEthernet eventually becomes standardfor high performance workstations

Workgroup

Enterprise

Productivity

75%

20%

45%

1991-1996

1996-2001

20%

35%

5%

User Time Spent byApplication Type

100 Hub

100 Switch 100 Switch

100

100 100 100 100 100 100

1000 1000

1000

Aggregating Switches

Uplinks

GigabitServer Adapter

Gigabit Product Deployment

Figure 4

Figure 3


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� Broad deployment capabilities withoutre-wiring, using 1000Base-T Gigabitover copper CAT-5 cabling

� Multi-Gigabit speeds through LinkAggregation using Intel serveradapters and switches

� Full duplex capacity, allowing data tobe transmitted and received at thesame time so that the effectivebandwidth is virtually doubled

� Quality of Service (QoS) featureswhich can be used to help eliminatejittery video or distorted audio

� Low cost of acquisition and ownership

Standards EvolutionGigabit Ethernet is a function oftechnological evolution in response toindustry demand. It is an extension of the10Mbps Ethernet networking standard,10Base-T, and the 100Mbps Fast Ethernetstandards, 100Base-TX and 100Base-FX(Table 1). Two benefits leading toEthernet’s longevity and success are itslow cost and ease of implementation.Besides offering high-speed connectivityat an economical price and support for avariety of transmission media, theEthernet standard also offers a broad baseof support for a huge and ever-growingvariety of LAN applications. It is alsoeasily scalable from 10Mbps to systemswith higher-speed 100Mbps and1000Mbps throughput.

In June of 1998, the IEEE approved theGigabit Ethernet standard over fiber(LX and SX) and short-haul copper(CX) as IEEE 802.3z. The fiber implementation was widely supported.With approval of 802.3z, companiescould rely on a well-known, standards-based approach to improve traffic flowin congested areas without having toupgrade to an unproven or non-standardized technology.

Gigabit Ethernet was originally designedas a switched technology, using fiber foruplinks and for connections betweenbuildings. Since then, Gigabit Ethernethas also been used extensively inservers with Gigabit Ethernetnetwork adapters and along backbones

to remove traffic bottlenecks in theseareas of aggregation.

In June of 1999, the IEEE furtherstandardized IEEE 802.3ab GigabitEthernet over copper (1000Base-T),allowing 1Gb speeds to be transmittedover Category 5 cable (CAT-5). SinceCAT-5 makes up a large portion of theinstalled cabling base, migrating toGigabit Ethernet has never been easier.Organizations can now replace networkadapters with Gigabit Ethernet andmigrate to higher speeds more extensively without having to re-wirethe infrastructure.

This is especially important in areaswhere existing network wiring is difficultto access, such as the utility riserstypically located between floors in largeoffice buildings. Without the newstandard, future deployment of GigabitEthernet might have required costlyreplacement of cabling in these risers.

However, even with the new standard,existing cabling must meet certain characteristics. Information on how to test existing cabling destined for1000Base-T use, including recommendedtesters and other important considerations,can be found on the Gigabit EthernetAlliance Web site at www.Gigabit-ethernet.org

It is estimated that only ten percent ofexisting Category 5 cabling installationswill not meet the ANSI/TIA/EIA568-A(1995) standard. These installationswould also not support 100Base-TX Fast Ethernet.

Compatibility and SupportGigabit Ethernet is fully compatible withthe large installed base of Ethernet andFast Ethernet nodes. It employs all of thesame specifications defined by theoriginal Ethernet standard, including:� CSMA/CD protocol� Ethernet frame or “packet” format� Full duplex� Flow control� Management objects as defined by the

IEEE 802.3 standard

Because it’s part of the Ethernet suite ofstandards, Gigabit Ethernet also supportstraffic management techniques that deliverQuality of Service over Ethernet, such as:� IEEE 802.1p Layer 2 prioritization� ToS coding bits for Layer 3

prioritization� Differentiated Services � Resource Reservation Protocol (RSVP)

Gigabit Ethernet can also take advantageof 802.1Q VLAN support, Layer 4filtering, and Layer 3 switching at Gigabitspeeds. In addition, multi-Gigabit speedscan be achieved by trunking eitherseveral Gigabit switch ports or Gigabitserver adapters together using LinkAggregation. Intel server adapters andswitches, both Gigabit and Fast Ethernet,support this capability today and willcontinue to support it in the future withthe IEEE 802.3ad standard.

All of these popular Ethernettechnologies, which are deployed in a variety of network infrastructure devices,are applicable to Gigabit Ethernet.

NOMENCLATURE SPEED DISTANCE MEDIA10Base-T 10Mbps 100m Copper100Base-TX 100Mbps 100m Copper100Base-FX 100Mbps 2Km Multi-mode Fiber1000Base-LX 1000Mbps 5Km Single-mode Fiber

1000Mbps 550m Multi-mode Fiber1000Base-SX 1000Mbps 550m Multi-mode Fiber (50u)

1000Mbps 275m Multi-mode Fiber (62.5u)1000Base-CX1 1000Mbps 25m Copper 1000Base-T 1000Mbps 100m Copper

Ethernet Suite of Standards

Table 1

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traffic areas, in servers and eventually forhigh performance workstations.

To enhance flexible deployment, IntelGigabit Ethernet switch products usemodular interface connectors to enable a 1000Base-X Gigabit switch to beconfigured for fiber (LX, SX) or copper (T). This flexibility allows asingle switch to support GigabitEthernet between buildings with fiber,and between floors using the copper in existing utility cabling risers. Alsoavailable are Intel PRO/1000 GigabitAdapters that support fiber and (in earlysecond half of 2000) Gigabit Ethernetover copper.

The following deployment scenariosoffer some examples of how GigabitEthernet is being deployed today and will be deployed in the future.

Scenario AGigabit Ethernet has been used inbackbones of small networks to increasebandwidth where segment switchesaggregate, and to reduce bottlenecks atserver farms (Figure 5). Earlydeployments have been based on fiberuplinks from segment switches, such asIntel® Express 500 Series Switches toIntel® NetStructure™ 480 Gigabit Ethernetswitches. With the approval of

variety of scenarios that show how theproducts can be applied in specificGigabit Ethernet implementations.

Even as Gigabit Ethernet was beingconsidered for standardization in 1997,Intel believed that deployment wouldbegin at the core of the network inbackbones and servers, then migrate tohigh traffic areas such as workgroupservers, then to workgroup segment linksand finally to high-end workstations. Insupport, Intel provided Gigabit Ethernetuplink modules for its line of 10/100switches, a standalone Gigabit switch anda Gigabit network adapter.

Two years later, Intel’s Gigabit Ethernetproducts expanded to support the growingdemand for Gigabit Ethernet in high

Easy 10/100/1000MbpsMigrationWhen looking for ways to improveperformance, IT managers want to knowhow migrating to a new technology willdisrupt the current network. They alsowant to know the total cost of ownership(TCO) of new gear. A key factor in TCOcalculation is determining whether thecompany’s investment in existingequipment and personnel training will be protected.

Because Gigabit Ethernet is based onEthernet technology, its migration path is consistent with the familiar path from10Mbps to 100Mbps. Existing Ethernetand Fast Ethernet devices are compatiblewith Gigabit Ethernet. What’s more, ITpersonnel are already knowledgeableabout Ethernet standards. As a result,performance gains can be achieved whilebuilding on a company’s currentinvestment in infrastructure and training.Costly protocol, hardware and cablingchanges can be avoided, and anydisruption to the network will be minimal.

DeploymentExamples

Gigabit Solutions from IntelAs a network vendor, Intel has supportedGigabit Ethernet with infrastructuredevices since the approval of the IEEE802.3z standard. Here are several IntelGigabit products applicable to anydeployment (Table 2), followed by a

Intel® PRO/1000 Gigabit Adapters – Network adapters for Gigabit network speeds withautomatic failover to Fast Ethernet for networking resilience

Intel® NetStructure™ 470T and 470F Switch – 6-port 100/100Base-T plus two GbEGBICs or 8-port 1000Base-SX fixed configuration switches with 802.1p priority queing

Intel® NetStructure™ 480 Routing Switch – Layer 3 capable switch with twelve100/1000Base-T copper ports, four GbE GBIC ports, 802.1p prioritization and bandwidth shaping

Intel® NetStructure™ 6000 Switch – 40Gbps backplane, Layer 3, modular switch with upto 32 Gigabit ports plus redundant power supplies and control processors for high-performance, highly resilient data center and wiring closet Gigabit switching

Express Switch Gigabit Uplink Modules – Uplink modules for 10/100Base-TX Intel®

Express 500 Series and Intel® Express 460T Switches to connect to Gigabit switches for aggregating segment and workgroup traffic

Intel Gigabit Products

PRO/1000 Gigabit Adapter in Servers


Server Farm Server Farm

10Mbps 10Mbps100Mbps 100Mbps

DATABASEWAREHOUSE

4 X 1000MbpsLink Aggregation

Intel® NetStructure™ 480Routing Switch

Gigabit Ethernet Link WithFast Ethernet Backup

500 Series SegmentSwitches WithGigabit Uplink

1000Mbps

1000Mbps 1000Mbps

1000Mbps1000Mbps

UPLINLKS UPLINLKS

Gigabit Ethernet Deployment on a Backbone with Server Links

Table 2

Figure 5


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1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet over copper, future deployments can use IEEE802.3ad Link Aggregation and multipleGigabit Adapters in high demand serversto achieve multi-Gigabit speeds betweenswitches and server farms.

Scenario BIn larger data centers, demand outpacesstandalone Gigabit Ethernet switchsolutions (Figure 6). A larger, highperformance, multi-layer switchingsolution – such as an Intel® NetStructureTM

6000 Switch – is required to adequatelyaggregate traffic and move it along themultiple networks. A chassis-based, multi-layer switch provides the power and flexibility for many types of networking needs, from aggregating segments and workgroups, to server links,and potentially to high-speed desktopworkstations over Category 5 cabling.

Scenario CEventually, using 1000Base-T GigabitEthernet over copper, Gigabit speeds willbe deployed right down to the desktopfor super high performance desktopworkstations, including those used ingeological and chemical modeling,medical imaging, or in semiconductordesign and verification (Figure 7).Increased bandwidth to the desktoprequires a high performance, data center

switch such as the 6000 Switch.

This type of switch can deliver Gigabitspeed to each desktop and to peripherallinks, such as workgroup server farms andapplication servers, without disruption tothe clients. With the Gigabit Ethernetover copper specification, IT managerscan build high performance networksusing existing Category 5 cabling. Seethe Gigabit Ethernet Alliance Web site atwww.Gigabit-ethernet.orgfor information on wiring requirements.

Conclusion

The ongoing development of highperformance processors and high-speedbus architectures has placed enormousdemands on the network. So has therapid growth of the Internet economy.To accommodate these demands, it hasbeen necessary for network managers to consider migrating to higher speed networking.

That is why Intel has been involved inthe advancement of networking technologysince the beginning – from helping todefine Ethernet as a member of IEEEstandards committees, to serving as amember of the Fast Ethernet Alliance andGigabit Ethernet Alliance. Intel has beena leader in the transition to Fast Ethernetand Gigabit Ethernet, with a family ofFast Ethernet desktop, server and mobileadapters, print servers and 10/100Mbpsand Gigabit switches.

In addition, as adoption of GigabitEthernet has progressed to includeworkgroup and segment links, Inteltechnologies have often been an enablingfactor. For example, the PCI bus for Intelarchitecture PCs and servers is tailor-made for today’s power desktop users.

Ongoing relationships with key industryleaders – Cisco, Microsoft and others –reflect Intel’s commitment to extendingand supporting industry standards byworking with these leaders to provideend-to-end, desktop-to-campus solutions.This cooperation will assure compatibilitywith Gigabit Ethernet products thatemerge from other vendors.

Intel intends to continue the samecommitment to Gigabit Ethernet solutionsas it has demonstrated with emergingGigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. Thiscommitment will be extended as needed to other high-bandwidth networkingproducts, in order to provide complete,cost-effective solutions from the desktop to the backbone.



Server Farm Server Farm

10Mbps 10Mbps100Mbps 100Mbps

DATABASEWAREHOUSE

4 X 1000MbpsLink Aggregation

Intel® NetStructure™

6000 Switch


500 Series SegmentSwitches WithGigabit Uplink

1000Mbps

1000Mbps 1000Mbps

1000Mbps1000Mbps

UPLINLKS UPLINLKS

Gigabit Ethernet Deployment in a Data Center of an Enterprise

PRO/1000 Gigabit Adapter

in Servers

Server Farm

1000Mbps 1000Mbps

6000Switch


1000Mbps

1000Mbps

10/100Mbps 10/100Mbps

470T Switch 470T Switch460T Switchwith Uplink

460T Switchwith Uplink

470T Switch

Gigabit Ethernet Deploymentfrom Wiring Closet to Desktop

Figure 6

Figure 7

0300/OC/SH/AO/PP/5K Please Recycle

Information in this document is provided in connection with Intel products. No license, express or implied, by estoppel or otherwise, to any intellectual property rights is granted by this document. Exceptas provided in Intel’s Terms and Conditions of Sale for such products, Intel assumes no liability whatsoever, and Intel disclaims any express or implied warranty, relating to sale and/or use of Intel productsincluding liability or warranties relating to fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or infringement of any patent, copyright or other intellectual property right. Intel products are not intended for usein medical, life saving, or life sustaining applications. Intel may make changes to specifications and product descriptions at any time, without notice. For the most current product information, please visithttp://www.intel.com/network

NP0939.02Copyright © Intel Corporation, 2000.

For More InformationThis paper has presented the basics ofGigabit Ethernet, including the recentlyadopted Gigabit Ethernet standard for1000Base-T Gigabit Ethernet overcopper. When considering a GigabitEthernet deployment – especially overcopper – additional resources should beconsidered. The following sources canprovide more detail on Gigabit Ethernet,cabling for Gigabit Ethernet overcopper, and Intel’s Gigabit Ethernetproduct solutions.

Intel Networking Products:www.intel.com/network

Gigabit Ethernet Alliance:www.Gigabit-ethernet.org

Cabling:www.bicsi.com

Gigabit Ethernet Standards:standards.ieee.org/catalog/IEEE802.3.htmland

grouper.ieee.org/groups/802/3/index.html

1 Not supported by industry products.

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