Nortel Improves Backend Network Speed

Helping to bridge the gap between system architecture and high-speed networks, the world's first consumer 10-Gigabit Ethernet Optical Adapter has hit the market. Nortel Networks has boosted data throughput between networks and servers to speeds that are ten times greater than those available through today's technology. Nortel is currently conducting beta trials of its adapter with California-based Hewlett-Packard.

According to Nortel's Pat Welch, "10-Gigabit Ethernet solutions are designed to break through the bottleneck to deliver high-speed access to eBusiness transactions, databases and other Web-related applications." Faster, more efficient, and less complex networks will stem from this technology.

Nortel's high-speed adapter will require a PCI-X slot and according to the company will, "enable any PCI-X based server to cost-effectively accelerate I/O to multi-gigabit speeds." The question remains whether this advance will do enough to speed communications for a fully optical network.