Force10 Networks Vice President Highlights 10 Gigabit Ethernet as Next Generation Data Center Technology.

MILPITAS, Calif. -- A high level of adaptability and flexibility has long been Ethernet's trademark and will be crucial to the widespread adoption of 10 Gigabit Ethernet in high performance data centers said Stephen Garrison, vice president of corporate marketing at Force10 Networks(R) at Interop 2006.

"With the ability to constantly evolve as a technology, Ethernet is uniquely able to meet the ever changing needs of the next generation data center," said Garrison. "From speed and density to the low latency required to implement cluster architectures, Ethernet continues to improve upon itself, creating a highly efficient technology for the strategic needs of the data center."

With the emergence of cost-effective 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology, enterprises can replace their multiple aggregated Gigabit Ethernet links, simplifying network management. Additionally, low latency 10 Gigabit Ethernet enables next generation data centers to leverage the technology in cluster computing architectures, eliminating the need for traditionally lower latency proprietary interconnects or Infiniband. As data centers move towards virtualized applications, both low port price and low latency will be crucial drivers of 10 Gigabit Ethernet adoption.

"The confluence of consolidation, more powerful servers and growing regulation requirements is dramatically increasing traffic within the data center," continued Garrison. "As these trends continue and data centers begin to deploy more bandwidth-intensive applications, the industry as a whole will need to begin exploring the next evolution of Ethernet to ensure network predictability."

With growing traffic creating bottlenecks at aggregation points within the network, high performance data centers will require the capacity of 100 Gigabit Ethernet. To ensure a successful transition from 10 Gigabit to 100 Gigabit Ethernet, the industry must work together to ensure tight integration at the system level and within the network. Additionally, the industry's standards bodies must work to define the next generation of Ethernet technology to coincide with the demand for higher capacity.

Force10 recently introduced the S2410. As the first data center switch to combine high 10 Gigabit Ethernet density and ultra low latency at the industry's lowest price per port, the Force10 S2410 provides IT managers with the flexibility they require at the foundation of their next generation data center managers. The S2410 is an expansion of the Force10 S-Series family of data center switches that, with the TeraScale E-Series, delivers a high performance end-to-end data center solution.

About Force10 Networks

Force10 Networks is the pioneer in building and securing high performance switching and routing. Based on a revolutionary system architecture that delivers best-in-class resiliency and massive scalability, Force10's TeraScale E-Series switch/routers ensure predictable application performance, increase network availability, and reduce operating costs. Today, many of the world's largest Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks depend on Force10 Networks. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.force10networks.com.

Force10, E-Series, P-Series, S-Series, TeraScale and FTOS are trademarks of Force10 Networks, Inc. All other company names are trademarks of their respective holders.