Gigabit Ethernet is an extension of the widely used 10 Mbps Ethernet and 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet standards for network connectivity. At 1000 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet is 100 times faster than Ethernet and 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet. As Fast Ethernet becomes more widely deployed, Gigabit Ethernet will increasingly be used to help fortify bandwidth at the network backbone and the server. Intel® products for Gigabit Ethernet include server adapters and switches.
Challenges addressed:
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Planning, Installation and Maintenance:
For evolving networks, Gigabit Ethernet is a cost effective way to increase bandwidth from 10 to 100 to 1000 Mbps (from Ethernet to Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet).
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Performance:
Prevent network bottlenecks by deploying 1000 Mbps of bandwidth, traffic localization and high-speed cross segment movement.
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Compatibility and Interoperability:
Gigabit Ethernet is backwards compatible with the most common network architecture today, Ethernet. It is fully compatible with the huge installed base of Ethernet and Fast Ethernet nodes. Just as Fast Ethernet provided a low-cost incremental migration from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps, Gigabit Ethernet provides the next logical migration to 1000 Mbps.
For network environments:
