The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet White Paper Cisco Public The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet © 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet White Paper Cisco Public Executive Summary The business case for 40 Gigabit Ethernet is becoming inescapably compelling. While 10 Gigabit Ethernet is still making its way into the data centers, CIOs and IT managers must now consider how they are going to handle what’s coming next: high-bandwidth applications such as server virtualization and cloud computing; fabric consolidation within the data center; and a greater demand for high-performance computing among end users (see Figure 1). The need for faster data transfer rates is relentless and carries significant implications with regard to network productivity as well as operating expenditure (OpEx) costs. Figure 1. Current Trends Driving the Demand for This report addresses the impending move to 40 Higher-Speed Ethernet Gigabit Ethernet, how it may change the network architecture, and what IT managers can do now to Market Drivers for More Bandwidth prepare to migrate to the new standard. Consumer & Broadband Access Introduction: The Business Case for Content 40 Gigabit Ethernet Providers Since February 1980, when the first IEEE 802 Server Virtualization standards committee convened, speeds in Ethernet Video on delivery to all layers have made increasingly greater Demand leaps over increasingly shorter intervals. In 2016, Blade Server Higher eight years after the adoption of 10 Gigabit Ethernet, Speed Service the IEEE has adopted 802.3ba, paving the way for Providers & Ethernet IXCs 40 Gigabit Ethernet and 100 Gigabit Ethernet. Fabric Consolidation As illustrated by Figure 2, I/O data transfer rates within the access layer are doubling every 24 High Performance Computing months, while transfer rates at the core layer double Data Center approximately once every 18 months. A primary Research and driver behind the push to 40 Gigabit Ethernet is Development a new generation of high-speed, high-demand, IEEE 802.3 Higher Speed Study Group - TUTORIAL computing applications and technologies. These include the spreading deployment of virtual servers and cloud computing. So when the IEEE officially adopted IEEE Std. 802.3ba in June 2015, paving the way for both 40 Gigabit By the end of 2009, nearly one in five new servers Ethernet and 100 Gigabit Ethernet, it came not a were virtualized.1 At the same time, the financial moment too soon. The increased speed allows pressures of a challenging economy are forcing networks to move newfound 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks to look for ways to consolidate their resources to the access layer, allowing the more resources in an effort to reduce OpEx and total cost powerful 40 Gigabit Ethernet-enabled equipment of ownership. to handle traffic at the aggregation and core layers. Based on analysts’ forecast and the robust With four times the capacity and the ability to development efforts by OEMs, it is no longer a cost effectively migrate to 100 Gigabit Ethernet question as to if 40 Gigabit Ethernet will become an (see Figure 2), 40 Gigabit Ethernet on multimode accepted part of the IT landscape, but when and how. fiber is the next logical step in the evolution of the data network. 1 Worldwide Quarterly Server Virtualization Tracker, International Data Corporation, April 2010 © 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 2 The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet White Paper Cisco Public The increase in urgency and the drop in prices have But that question is fast becoming moot because led analysts at the market research firm The Dell’Oro 40 Gigabit Ethernet provides design flexibility and Group to predict that shipments in the 40-Gbps cost advantage over 100 Gigabit Ethernet. 40 optical market will reach $14.5 billion by 2013.2 Gigabit Ethernet can be effectively deployed today in aggregation links in data center networks. By Gigabit Ethernet for Multimode and Single-Mode Figure 2. 2016, 40 Gigabit Ethernet will also be commonly 2011/12 Economics of 40 GE and 100 GE applied to access links to connect servers, as Figure 3 indicates. Complementing 40 Gigabit Ethernet, Cost Normalized Cost Normalized 100 Gigabit Ethernet is a perfect choice for carrier to 10GBASE-SR to 10GBASE-LR service providers and core links in data centers. MULTI MODE SINGLE MODE 20X For IT managers and CIOs who are intent on remaining competitive, 40 Gigabit Ethernet represents the best option for adding the required 10X 10X bandwidth. But without the proper planning, network operators may very well be caught unprepared 4X 4X when the time comes to make the move. 1X 1X Let’s examine the process to thoroughly evaluate, 10 GE 40 GE 100 GE 10 GE 40 GE 100 GE plan, and specify a network upgrade to 40 Gigabit Ethernet. As Figure 4 illustrates, 40 Gigabit Ethernet There has been some debate as to whether IT is still a couple of years from wide-scale adoption, managers should hold off on deploying the 40 which gives IT managers and CIOs time to start their Gigabit Ethernet technology and bide their time migration planning. waiting for 100 Gigabit Ethernet to become commercially available. Figure 3. Projected Timeline Showing Mainstream Adoption of 40 Gigabit Ethernet-Capable Switching Equipment FE GE 10 GE 40 GE 100 GE 35M 100Gb Capable Switching 30M Faster servers Faster aggregation links 40Gb Capable Switching 25M 20M x86 Server Forecast by Ethernet Connection Type IEEE 802.3 HSSG April 2007 Interim Meeting 15M 10G server driven x86 Server Units x86 Server by 10G LAN-On-Motherboard integration 10M 5M 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2 InformationWeek, January 29, 2009, reported by W. David Gardner © 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 3 The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet White Paper Cisco Public Figure 4. Transceiver Form Factors Planned for First-Generation Implementation Media Reach Speed CFP QSFP CXP 10Km 100G Single-mode 40G Future? 40Km 100G Multimode 100m 100G Future? (OM3) 40G Multimode 150m 100G Future? (OM4) 40G 3-7m 100G Future? Copper 40G Planned for 1st Generation Not Planned for 1st Generation 40 Gigabit Ethernet: A Closer Look Transceivers 40 Gigabit Ethernet and 100 Gigabit Ethernet are 40 Gigabit Ethernet transceivers (see Figure 5) Ethernet standards developed by the IEEE 802.3ba are being developed along several standard Task Force to support sending Ethernet frames at form factors. The C Form-Factor Pluggable (CFP) 40 and 100 Gigabits per second. They also address transceiver features 12 transmit and 12 receive physical layer specifications for communication 10-Gbps lanes to support one 100 Gigabit Ethernet across backplanes, copper cabling, multimode- port, or up to three 40 Gigabit Ethernet ports. Its fiber, and single-mode fiber. Official development larger size is suitable for the needs of single mode of the 40 Gigabit Ethernet and 100 Gigabit optics and can easily serve multimode optics or Ethernet standards began in January 2008, and the copper. The CXP transceiver form factor also standards were officially ratified in June 2010. At provides 12 lanes in each direction, but is much the heart of the 40 Gigabit Ethernet network layer smaller than the CFP and serves the needs of is a pair of transceivers connected by a cable – for multimode optics and copper. The Quad Small- example, OM4 or OM3 fiber cable. The transceivers, Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) is similar in size to in turn, are plugged into either network servers or a the CXP. It provides four transmit and four receive variety of components, including interface cards lanes to support 40 Gigabit Ethernet applications for and switches. multimode fiber and copper today, and may serve Figure 5. Transceiver Form Factors Planned for First-Generation Implementation Media Reach Speed CFP QSFP CXP 10Km 100G Single-mode 40G Future? 40Km 100G Multimode 100m 100G Future? (OM3) 40G Multimode 150m 100G Future? (OM4) 40G 3-7m 100G Future? Copper 40G Planned for 1st Generation Not Planned for 1st Generation © 2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. 4 The Future Is 40 Gigabit Ethernet White Paper Cisco Public single-mode in the future. Another future role for For data center environments operating at 40 Gbps QSFP may be to serve 100 Gigabit Ethernet when or 100 Gbps, OM3 and OM4 multimode cabling is lane rates increase to 25 Gbps. generally recommended because its reach supports a wider range of deployment configurations Cables and Connectors compared to copper solutions. And the cost is lower Cabling for 40 Gigabit Ethernet, summarized in Figure compared to single-mode solutions. 6, can be optical fiber or copper. The supportable channel length depends on the cable and the Use of Parallel Optics transceiver type. With regard to connectors, the only Traditionally, the Ethernet standard has relied upon significant change outlined in the 802.3ba standard duplex fiber cabling with each channel using one is the use of MPO Multi-Fiber Push On (MPO)-type fiber to transmit and the other to receive. However, connectors at the multimode transceivers to support the 802.3ab standard requires multiple lanes of the multifiber parallel optics channels. Figure 6. Cabling Alternatives for 10 Gigabit Ethernet and 40/100 Gigabit Ethernet 100/150m 40Km 100GBase−SR10 100GBase−ER4 40GBase−SR4 (100GE Only) (Parallel Fiber OM 3/4) 10Km 7m 100GBase−LR4 100GBase−CR10 40GBase−LR4 40GBase−CR4 (Copper Cable Assembly) 40 and 100 GE Data Center Copper Multimode Single-Mode Campus & Data Center 15m 10GBase−CX4 10Km (IB Cabling) 220m 10GBase−LR 10 GE 100m 10GBase−LRM 10GBase−T (Twisted Pair) 26/82/300m 300m 10Km 10GBase−SR (OM1/2/3) 10GBase−LXR 10GBase−ER traffic per channel.