10 Gigabit Ethernet Towards Democratization, 12/03/2012 - Your reactions

[linathael]

It has already been couple of years that the 10 Gbit/s Ethernet format is validated and available, but prices of components and its deployment have strongly slow down its adoption.
Intel probably did a good step for "democratizing" this format by announcing a new controller. This Ethernet 10 Gbits/s chips can be either integrated on the motherboard via a PCI-Express 2.0 8x line or via a PCI-Express card. Its price, while remaining relatively high, is extremely competitive when compared to the current chips available on the market: 124.34/unit. In addition, this chips is able to manage two 10 Gbit/s ports from a RJ45 format, with Ethernet cable category 6 or 6a... so it will limit the need for massively upgrading networks if you have already Cat.6 cables. 


It remains difficult to evaluate if such format will be installed in future Mac Pro models... that we are still waiting. If it is not for the MAc Pro 2012, it will be present for the 2013 model, if Appel continues to develop such hardware. Let's hope that 10 Gbit/s ethernet router will also see their prices dropping significantly, as it is also an important way to speed up adoption of this new format.
By linathael, original by Lionel