As the data centre market continues to grow from 1GbE to 10GbE and beyond, the backward compatibility of the RJ-45 will be of extreme importance. It will allow data centre operators to evolve their networks based on changing requirements and to do so with the least amount of disruption and expenditure.

In a world where even electrical outlet standards are not globally accepted, it is not only remarkable that the RJ-45 connector has achieved such ubiquity, but also that it has maintained this dominance for over 30 years. Its flexibility has been crucial to this. Over its lifetime, the connector form factor has moved from supporting frequencies of 1MHz to 2GHz and data rates of 10Mb to 40Gb. Also, as a generic and non-proprietary technology, these connectors are simple and cost-effective to deploy and maintain.

The benefits of deploying structured cabling rather than direct attached solutions should also not be forgotten. If a direct attached transceiver fails then the link including the transceiver needs to be replaced. A major benefit of structure cabling is that IT managers can easily replace the cable, or change the port it is attached to, in the event of a hardware failure. Finally, the BASE-T’s “Wake on LAN” functionality allows for greater flexibility and energy efficiency and by enabling data centre operators to shut down servers and only turn them on as needed. This functionality will have increased importance as data centre operators struggle to minimise energy consumption.

It is important to remember that designers, installers and customers have considerable experience and confidence in twisted-pair cabling and RJ-45 connectivity. While the eventual deployment of 40GBASE-T is still a few years away, the knowledge that it will be available and with RJ-45 connectivity will allow organisations to think about how they are deploying twisted-pair solutions today with an eye to the future. Doing so correctly will help ensure infrastructure costs are well managed from both a product and support standpoint.

Defining new standards
While the advantages of 40GBASE-T are clear, the path from initial ratification to commercial availability is not always smooth. This was certainly the case for the rollout of 10GBASE-T, which took significantly more time than initially anticipated. This was partially the result of the IEEE stipulation that the new 10GBASE-T standard should support distances of at least 100 metres. Unfortunately, this posed significant technical challenges, especially related to the transceiver electronics. Alongside the global recession and initial concerns around power consumption, this technical delay may have impacted 10GBASE-T’s initial market uptake. These power concerns were addressed in subsequent generations of 10GBASE-T electronics, however the IEEE is keen to ensure that the same delays are not seen with the rollout of 40GBASE-T.

Since initial 40GBASE-T applications would be limited to data centres, the traditional twisted pair Ethernet 100m link length is not essential.  To this end, the TIA TR42.7 copper cabling subcommittee has initiated a survey of data centre cabling designs to ensure that link length objectives will satisfy actual data centre design requirements. Additionally, there is a desire within the industry to keep the electronics around 40GBASE-T at a level similar in complexity to those around 10GBASE-T, while extending the bandwidth to support 40 Gb/s.

Industry experts, including CommScope, who participated in last year’s IEEE 802.3 Next Generation BASE-T plenary meeting discussed the possibility of developing more innovative techniques to enhance the performance of twisted-pair cabling to support higher speed Ethernet. In recent months, 40GBASE-T has come several steps closer to demonstrating proven viability for data centre applications. For instance, CommScope recently verified a proof-of-concept solution for a viable 40GBASE-T channel by utilising prototype Category 8 RJ-45 connectors and copper twisted pair cables at an IEEE 802.3 NGBASE-T study group meeting. This proof-of-concept demonstrates that data centre operators can use Category 8 cabling to support 40 GBASE-T.

Industry players helping in the development of an industry standard for 40GBASE-T have to ensure that it could be supported and rolled out cost-effectively. The new standard will minimise the time it will take to develop new electronics for switches and servers that can support 40GBASE-T connectivity, by building on the work already completed to support 10GbE connections. The standard will also support the ubiquitous RJ-45 connector.

As Director – Data Centres for the CommScope Enterprise Solutions Division in Asia Pacific, James Young provides leadership to a broad based technical team providing engineering and technical support for SYSTIMAX® network infrastructure solutions in the region. The teams’ responsibilities include pre- and post-sales activities, BusinessPartner training and auditing of SYSTIMAX installations in support of the warranty program.

James has been involved in sales, marketing and operational roles for communication solutions working with Tyco Electronics/AMP, Anixter, Canadian Pacific and TTS in Canada. James has gained extensive experience in the sale of OEM products, network solutions and value-added services through direct and indirect channel sales environments. His sales experience includes electronic transmission components, telephony systems, network systems, LAN infrastructure products and fibre transmission system products.

Prior to joining CommScope in Canada, he was responsible for the promotion of network infrastructure products for Tyco Electronics in Eastern Canada. James has also garnered substantial experience in OEM and Channel marketing as well as network operations as Assistant Director of CP’s computers and communications group. James graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario and is a Registered Communication Distribution Designer (RCDD).

Visit www.commscope.com.