10GbE is the fastest Ethernet standard for LANs, operating at 10gbps. Ethernet cabling has evolved to allow for higher data transfer rates and is abbreviated by speed and cabling technology. 10GbE uses fiber optic cables or copper alternatives for short distances. A twisted-pair cabling standard is expected to be standardized in 2006.
10-Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) has been the fastest Ethernet standard for wired local area networks (LANs) since 2005. It crowns the latest in a long list of Ethernet technologies standardized by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in their 802.3 specification x. The 10GbE network operates at a speed of 10 gigabits per second (gbps), or ten times faster than standard GbE. Ethernet cabling is used to connect computers to wired networks used in businesses, campuses, and homes. Over the years, the technology of transmitting digital signals over Ethernet cabling, including the cabling itself, has evolved to allow for higher data transfer rates.
Ethernet standards are often referred to in abbreviated form. The speed is listed first, followed by the word “base” for baseband, and finally a 2-digit abbreviation for the type of cabling technology used. When a layer of Ethernet is referenced without specifying the cable type, a simple “X” is used to include. At a glance, this abbreviation reveals which type of Ethernet network it refers to. For example:
10Base-X – Ethernet standard a 10 megabit al secondo (mbps)
100Base-X – FastEthernet a 100 mbps
1000Base-X: Gigabit Ethernet at 1,000 mbps or 1 gigabit per second (gbps), also known as GbE
10GBase-X – 10-Gigabit Ethernet a 10 gbps, noto anche come XGbE
10GbE is ten times faster than GbE and has many competing standards that will likely dwindle to just a few over time. Most types of 10GbE use single-mode or multi-mode fiber optic cables. Single-mode optical cable is used for 10GBase-LR (long range) and 10GBase-ER (extended range). Multimode fiber optic cable is used for 10GBase-SR (Short Range), 10GBase-LX4 and 10GBase-LXM. Wide area networks (WAN) have their own varieties of 10GbE: 10GBase-SW, 10GBase-LW, and 10Gbase-EW.
For traveling short distances with 10GbE, there’s the less expensive 10Gbase-CX4, a copper alternative. This is commonly used for bridges, such as router wiring to pass. A traditional type of 10GbE using twisted pair cabling is expected to be standardized by the IEEE in 2006, as 10GBase-T. Twisted-pair cabling used for 10GbE will need to meet the technical specifications required by Category 6A cable, or “Cat-6A” for short.
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