10GigabitEthernet

10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) is a family of Ethernet standards that provide data transfer rates of 10 gigabits per second. It was developed to meet the needs of high-performance networks, including servers, storage networks, and data center backbones. 10GbE supports full-duplex operation and is designed to run over multiple media, including optical fiber and copper cabling.

The standards are defined by the IEEE 802.3 working group. The most common 10GBASE media specifications are 10GBASE-SR for short-range multimode fiber (850 nm), 10GBASE-LR for long-range single-mode fiber (1310 nm), 10GBASE-LRM for medium-range multimode fiber up to about 220–300 meters, and 10GBASE-ER for extended-range single-mode fiber up to around 40 kilometers. For copper, 10GBASE-CX4 supported short backplane links, while 10GBASE-T specifies 10 Gbit/s over twisted-pair copper up to 100 meters. Transceivers in SFP+ and QSFP+ form factors enable modular deployment, and direct-attach copper cables provide low-cost short connections.

In typical data-center and enterprise networks, 10GbE is used for server-to-switch connections, storage networking, and high-speed uplinks. It complements or transitions toward higher-speed Ethernet in new deployments, but remains common due to mature ecosystem, cabling options, and cost.

Key considerations for deployment include choosing the appropriate medium for required distance, balancing latency and power usage, and provisioning compatible switches and adapters with support for features such as link aggregation, flow control, and virtual LANs.