While 400 Gigabit speeds are still several years out for enterprise data centers, industry standards and active equipment for 400 Gigabit applications are already available and being deployed by hyperscale cloud providers. As trendsetters for what will eventually come to enterprise data centers, these cloud providers are already pushing past 400G and setting standards for 800 Gigabit. Understanding how these standards are taking shape is critical for all data center owners and operators, regardless of their size, as these developments should be used to inform their own strategies for getting to 400G and beyond.
A new white paper from Siemon explores the factors data centers should consider when determining which path to 400G they should take. The paper outlines key drivers, trends, and technology, as well as the impact of emerging applications that demand more compute power, bandwidth and low-latency transmission.
The author also outlines the current 400 Gigabit IEEE Ethernet standards, suggests options for migration paths, notes cost considerations for 400G, and sets the stage for a world beyond 400G.