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The IEEE last week cleared the way for the implementation of the 802.3an 10GBase-T standard with over 90 per cent of its 802.3an Task Force members voting in favour of approval and certifying that the technology was stable and marketable. Customers should now expect to see 10G Ethernet-over-copper equipment arriving in the market soon. 802.3an specifies the industry standard for running 10Gbps of Ethernet data over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, running a maximum length of around 330 feet, or 100 meters. According to IEEE sources, 10GBase-T will reach the maximum distance easily over Category 7 (Cat7) and Category 6a (Cat6a) UTP cabling. So far users get only around 180 feet (55 meters) of reach using Cat6 cabling, and only around 150 feet (or 45 meters) of reach over Cat5e, which is one of the more widely-installed network cabling types in corporate nets. Given the quick response time of vendors in the past, switches supporting 10GBase-T may arrive in the market fairly soon. When the IEEE approved the 10GBase-CX4 standard, which runs 10GE over copper Infiniband-style cabling, in early 2004, Cisco came to market about a month later with copper 10GE modules for the Catalyst 6500.
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