IEEE and IEEE Standards Association (IEEE SA) have announced the formation of the IEEE 802.3 Beyond 400Gb/s Ethernet Study Group that, as its name implies, potentially will lay the groundwork for eventual standards for Ethernet at rates greater than 400 Gbps. The launch of the Study Group follows the publication of a Bandwidth Assessment Report this past April that indicated the need for such work, as well as a Call for Interest (CFI) that confirmed industry consensus that a Study Group on this topic would be beneficial (see "IEEE to assess Ethernet bandwidth demand" and "IEEE to consider what comes after 400 Gigabit Ethernet").
The Study Group will consider the definition of a project to move Ethernet standards beyond 400 Gbps; if the group’s work is successful, a Task Force to define such standards would be created. The Study Group’s first meeting is scheduled to be held the week of January 18, 2021.
“The path to beyond 400-Gbps Ethernet exists, but there are a host of options and physical challenges that will need to be considered to take the next leap in speed rate for Ethernet,” said John D’Ambrosia, distinguished engineer at Futurewei Technologies who led the CFI effort as well as the Ad Hoc Committee that produced the Bandwidth Assessment Report and who is acting chair of the Study Group (according to his LinkedIn profile). “Both the historical trend lines for Ethernet bandwidth demand and everything the industry understands today about its future needs and technology growth curves indicate that the time to take the next step is now, in order to satisfy humanity’s needs and desires for connectivity. It will be the responsibility of the study group to examine the problem and develop the project authorization documentation necessary to launch a new standard-development project.”
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