IEEE Authorizes Task Force

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA -- The Ethernet Alliance today announced that the IEEE New Standards Committee (NesCom) has approved the Higher Speed Study Group's project authorization request (PAR), and the resulting project will now be known as the IEEE P802.3ba task force. The task force recently held its first interim session, January 23-25 in Portland, Oregon to review proposals to be considered for the draft standard.

In July 2007, the Higher Speed Study Group (HSSG) agreed upon a single project encompassing a 40 Gigabit Ethernet (40GbE) rate for server and storage applications and a 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100GbE) rate for network aggregation. In November 2007, the IEEE 802.3 working group authorized the HSSG to become the IEEE P802.3ba task force to begin work on the 40GbE and 100GbE draft standard. The Task Force will now focus on defining the standard for 40GbE and 100GbE, and expects to complete standard ratification in 2010.

"This is a key milestone for the 40GbE and 100GbE project, and the result of collaboration between many individuals who have helped the IEEE P802.3ba task force gain momentum," said John D'Ambrosia, newly appointed chair of IEEE P802.3ba task force. "During last week's interim session, we began to hear initial technical presentations as part of the effort to work towards a first draft standard proposal expected to be completed by Fall 2008."

The Ethernet Alliance