10GBASE-T - An Important Technology for 10GbE Network

10GBASE-T, a type of technology for transmitting data in 10G networking, has been commonly used since its appearance in 2006. How much do you know about it and why is it important? The definition, benefits, applications, FAQs, and the future of 10GBASE-T will be demonstrated in this article.

What Is 10GBASE-T?

10GBASE-T or SFP+ RJ45 is a standard released in 2006 to provide 10Gbit/s connections over unshielded or shielded twisted-pair copper cables (Category 6 or above) for distances up to 100m. There are two advantages to adopting 10GBASE-T technology for IT technicians to build data centers and corporate networks. First, when you deploy 10GBASE-T technology in your network, the traditional infrastructure (copper cables, patch panels, and so on) can remain. Second, 10G Copper SFP can provide a cost-effective 10G interconnection by supporting high-density 10G switches.

Benefits of 10GBASE-T Technology

The merits of 10GBASE-T technology are described as follows:

• Backward Compatibility: As an interoperable technology, the standards-based 10GBASE-T can be deployed in the existing 1GbE switch infrastructures which are cabled with Cat6, Cat6a, or above cabling in data centers, helping IT to keep costs down while offering an easy migration path to 10GbE.

• Lower Latency: The latency for 10GBASE-T ranges from over 2μs to less than 4μs, while it is from sub-microsecond to over 12μs for 1000BASE-T. With a larger packet size, the latency for the 10GBASE-T is more than 3 times lower than the 1000BASE-T.

• Convenient to Use: The SFP+ Copper supports the cable links up to 100m, enough to support almost all data center topologies, and you can use patch panels without having to worry about messing with transceivers.

• Reduced Cost: In the 10GBASE-T network, Cat6 cables are usually used for cabling and are cheaper than the comparable length fiber cables. Also, copper cables do not consume power and their thermal designs require fewer cooling procedures, extensive savings on operation within the data center will be achieved.

10GBASE-T Applications

10GBASE-T / SFP+ RJ45 is applied in the data center or horizontal areas (in building, including wiring closet). And it is not suited for vertical applications within building, or campus & metro applications. For the density of computing devices in the data center, it needs more bandwidth per link and is less constrained by installed base or structured cabling standards. Because of the higher speed aggregation points in wiring closets in horizontal enterprise networks, it needs to conform to structured cabling standards.

10GBASE-T Deployment

FAQs for 10GBASE-T

Q: Is 10GBASE-T widely available on servers?

A: 10GBASE-T has been available in servers as an add-in card since 2008. As more and more maturing 10GB Copper SFP products intersected with new server platforms enters market, 10GbE ports have been available either as LAN on Motherboard (LOM) or a configurable daughter card from many server vendors.

Q: Is 10GBASE-T widely available on switches?

A: 10GBASE-T has been available on switches since 2008, and vendors have various 10GBASE-T switches solutions. Its adoption has been fueled by the release of the 40nm 10GBASE-T PHY in 2012. Deployments have been mainly in data centers, although solutions are also available for campus networks.

Q: Can 10GBASE-T support PoE?

A: Increasing bandwidth requirements of wireless access points is driving the demand for Power over Ethernet (PoE) to provide support beyond 1000BASE-T. PoE switches with 10GBASE-T copper uplinks exist today, designed to meet or exceed IEEE 802.3an 10GBASE-T requirements over 100 meters and can support IEEE 802.3at Power over Ethernet (PoE).

The Future of 10GBASE-T Technology

Based on greater distance capabilities, lower cabling and ports costs, and easy moves, adds, and changes in the cabling infrastructure, a network switch with 10G Copper SFP ports can offer greater flexibility compared to SFP+ DAC copper cables. Furthermore, Ethernet switches with SFP+ RJ45 ports support a greater number of deployment options, including top of rack, end of row, middle of row, and inter-cabinet connectivity. As server processing and Ethernet-based storage requirements continue to become higher and higher, the demands for 10GBASE-T will grow constantly in the near future. The number of SFP+ Copper connections required will expand beyond 48 ports within a rack.

Related Article:

10GBASE-T vs SFP+ vs DAC: Which to Choose for 10GbE Data Center Cabling?