Despite the fact that <a href="http://www.networkworld.com/news/2010/020310-facebook-sees-need-for-terabit.html">Facebook famously said</a> that it needs Terabit Ethernet, the wait for the technology could last years, experts say.
Facebook's data centers already need 100-Gigabit Ethernet and ideally could use 1-Terabit Ethernet, according to a senior network engineer at the company.
IT managers who are getting started with -- or even pushing the limits of -- 10 Gigabit Ethernet in their LANs and data centers won't have to wait long for higher speed connectivity.
Looking down the LAN road, the Terabit Ethernet milestone is very much in sight. While 3.2Tbps and 6.4Tbps speeds were demonstrated in test environments by Siemens/WorldCom and NEC/Nortel respectively starting in 2001, the first set of viable solutions are just now taking shape.