#Interop 40 Gig Ethernet Makes an Extreme Debut

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LAS VEGAS — I come to Interop to see new stuff that doesn’t exist in other places and that’s just what I found today.

Extreme Networks is showing a 40 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switching setup. Yes that’s a big deal seeing at 40 GbE is not yet a full standard (though it will be soon).

The solution Extreme is showing used the VIM3-40G4X that can add up to 4x 40 GbE connections to an Extreme 8800 switch. I’ve never seen a 40 GbE implementation before, so this is a first for me and something that no other vendors seem to be talking about. There has been focus on the 100 GbE standard but that’s not really intended for inside the datacenter is it?

The fastest Ethernet connection in datacenters today is 10 GbE which will also help 40 GbE adoption as some of the same infrastructure will apply.

But don’t run out to try and buy 40 GbE today, the 40 GbE solution isn’t quite ready for prime time yet – as standards aren’t yet quite done — but the demo does work.

In addition to the hardware, the solution leverages new improvements in the Extreme XOS operating system that powers Extreme’s gear. And yeah Extreme XOS has some Linux goodness at it’s core.