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When people talk about Ethernet today, they are typically talking about Fast Ethernet which is a standards-based method of connecting devices together in a network. This could be, for example, a PC connected to an ADSL or broadband router or multiple PCs connected together through a switch. Fast Ethernet is the main Ethernet technology on the market for wired technology and it runs at 100Mbps – that’s megabits per second.

What about Gigabit Ethernet?

Gigabit Ethernet is the next step up from Fast Ethernet. Again, it is standards-based technology and provides a data rate of 1000Mbps or (one gigabit). While it is most often used as the backbone in many large networks, use of gigabit Ethernet is on the rise in smaller businesses. In fact for the majority of SMEs, in 18 months to two years time it will be cheaper to buy a Gigabit Ethernet product than a Fast Ethernet product. As demand for the latter declines, businesses will need to start looking at Gigabit Ethernet in order to future proof their networks.

And where does 10-Gigabit Ethernet fit in?

A10-gigabit Ethernet is another standards-based technology which, as the name suggests, is 10 times faster than Gigabit Ethernet and offers data speeds of up to 10 billion bits per second. It is a new technology which is expected to be used to interconnect local, wide and metropolitan area networks. However, unlike Gigabit Ethernet and Fast Ethernet it uses optical fibre for data transmission. For this reason we won’t see 10-gigabit Ethernet in smaller businesses just yet, because of the costs associated with fibre which requires specialist installation or transceivers.

Can’t I just use Wi-Fi?

Yes and Wi-Fi can provide the flexibility of being able to connect to the network from anywhere in the office, but tends to be slower and less reliable than wired technology such as Ethernet – as the strength of the signal can be affected by wall thickness and the age of the building.

What about PowerLine?

PowerLine is another technology which bypasses the need for a traditional wired IT infrastructure. Unlike Ethernet which requires traditional cabling, businesses using PowerLine can create an office network simply by using the existing electrical mains circuit within the building. This is ideal for a small office but the downside is that although PowerLine runs at up to 200Mbps – twice as fast as fast Ethernet – it is a shared bandwidth technology so the more devices which are plugged in, the lower the bandwidth to each device will become. This makes it a technology suitable only for very small businesses with few network devices, such as home offices.

How should I decide which one is best for my business?

Generally, in smaller businesses where budget is strictly limited or traditional structured cabling is unsuitable and there is not a huge bandwidth requirement, then wireless or PowerLine are probably the best options.

However, for the average SME, Gigabit Ethernet will be your best bet. Although you may be able to use Fast Ethernet to the desktop for years to come, as your business grows the demands on the network will also rise and using Gigabit Ethernet will prevent bottlenecks developing.

Our network is running perfectly well, so do I really need Gigabit Ethernet?

Small businesses really should be buying Gigabit as opposed to Fast Ethernet switches when upgrading or updating their networks. For the majority of SMEs, the adoption of 10-gigabit Ethernet technology won’t be for some time yet. However, it is worth bearing in mind that if your business grows rapidly, if you need to share large files or plan on adding IPTV or Voice over IP to your network then it is highly likely that you’ll need 10-gigabit Ethernet sooner rather than later.

The biggest concern for SMEs, in particular those that don’t have a dedicated IT department, is that more and more applications are being loaded onto the network and employees are more reliant than ever before on using email and the Internet to do their jobs. If the business suddenly couldn’t get to the email server, for example, because there was too much information on the network, it could have a real impact on the business.

Isn't it going to be expensive to move to these technologies?

As a migration path, most businesses that have Fast Ethernet in the business today move these products to areas which require less bandwidth and deploy the newer products in the higher demand areas. In any case, the price point between Gigabit and Fast Ethernet is getting closer. The real question perhaps is what price can be put on the business being capable to handle the next generation of applications and be future proofed?

In addition, manufacturers have worked hard to develop and enhance the web managed range of products which enable the selection of applications by drop down menus in order to make the infrastructure easier and less costly to manage. This is perfect for the smaller business with basic prioritisation requirements. Once the business network reaches a certain size, the need to migrate to a more configurable fully managed solution is advisable.

How long can I expect my gigabit / 10 gigabit network to last?

Currently there are very few applications that require more than Gigabit to the desktop so realistically, until the content and applications increase, we will not see a migration to a faster technology in the short- to mid-term.

How will I know that I'm getting a return on my investment?

This needs to be measured through the quality of experience in the business. If the current applications all run smoothly with the implementation of voice, video and data across the switch infrastructure, then it is safe to say that the business is getting a great return on investment. This is only achieved by understanding the mix of bandwidth and manageability at an affordable price.