Extreme Networks this week introduced its support of Ethernet AVB (Audio Video Bridging) on its portfolio of networking gear, including the Summit X440, X460 and X670 switches, ushering in a new era of networking convergence.
“You can plug your microphone, mixing board, your camera or whatever the audio/video device is, right into the Ethernet switch,” Todd Acree, Director of Product Management at Extreme Networks, explained to Enterprise Networking Planet. “The promise of AVB is to do it all over Ethernet making connectivity simple and cost effective.”
Making Ethernet the basis of all audio and video is an effort that has had its fair share of challenges. For one, Acree noted that synchronizing Ethernet to ensure proper audio and video transmission has been an issue.
“Ethernet is an asynchronous protocol, that is it operates without timing and now we want to do timing with it,” Acree said. “That has now been fixed with AVB standard.”
The standard also provides for Quality of Service and predictable latency. What’s more is that both AVB and non-AVB traffic can co-exist on existing Ethernet networks today.
Read the full story at EnterpriseNetworkingPlanet:
Extreme Brings Ethernet Audio Video Bridging to the Network
Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at InternetNews.com, the news service of the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.