• Does standardized interoperability in data center fabrics matter?

  Despite interoperability trials and demonstrations involving alternative data center fabric standards, a non-standard fabric technology is said by proponents to be at the front of the pack.

• HP has all the ingredients for software defined networking, almost

  LAS VEGAS -- HP says it has all of the necessary orchestration tools for its software defined networking strategy - the big question is, will it build its own controller?

• Exponential bandwidth growth and cost declines

  Global Internet traffic is expected to grow 32% per year from 2010 to 2015. In 2010, an average of 46 terabits/second traveled over the Internet and should surpass 199 terabits/second in 2015. But while IP traffic is growing exponentially, the budgets for network equipment are growing at less than 10%.

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  InfiniBand Interconnect infrastructure for scalable data center Iinfrastructures

  This vendor-written tech primer has been edited by Network World to eliminate product promotion, but readers should note it will likely favor the submitter's approach.

• In Pictures: Cool old Ethernet paraphernalia

  Ethernet is almost 40 years old. Here’s a look at some of its product origins

• An easy fix for broken ethernet plugs

  Have you ever broken the connector on an Ethernet cable, but didn't want to go out and buy a replacement? If you only have one or two broken cable heads, it's probably not worth it to find a crimper and new RJ45 connectors. This quick, clever, and inexpensive hack from Instructables makes quick work of repairing a snapped Ethernet connector with a razor, cutting pliers, and two cable ties.

• Special report: Emerging IEEE Ethernet standards could soothe data center headaches

  Cisco, HP and others are waging an epic battle to gain control of the data center, but at the same time they are joining forces to push through new Ethernet standards that could greatly ease management of those increasingly virtualized IT nerve centers.

• Ethernet data center standards just the start

  Even though strides are being made to define standards for extending Ethernet to handle data center applications, these advances will not be a panacea, vendors say.

Whitepapers about Ethernet

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  40 and 100 Gigabit Ethernet Overview

  This paper takes a look at the main forces that are driving Ethernet bandwidth upwards. It looks at the standards and architectural practices adopted by the different segments, how the different speeds of Ethernet are used and how its popularity has resulted in a complex ecosystem between carrier networks, enterprise networks, and consumers.