Blade Networks: Industry ready for 10GB Ethernet

10 Gigabit Ethernet is the way forward for the switch industry, according to a Blade Network Technologies executive.

In a meeting with IT PRO yesterday, Charles Ferland, European vice president at the company, said: "Everyone knows that 10GB Ethernet is going to happen and take over and there is definitely signs in the industry that this is going to happen."

However the vice president of the company, which produces 48 per cent of Ethernet switches in the market, acknowledges the thing holding it back is cost.

Ferland said: "From a tech point of view everyone is very comfortable with 10GB Ethernet but we need to address the price point."

Blade Network Technologies spun off from Nortel in February 2006 and last year launched its own range of top of rack Ethernet switches.

James Schneider, country manager in the UK, said: "For us, it is all about low latency, high performance and low price."

The switches made by the company feature in servers from IBM and HP and it is in talks with both the NHS and local Government in the UK to supply for them too.

Jennifer Scott is a former freelance journalist and currently political reporter for Sky News. She has a varied writing history, having started her career at Dennis Publishing, working in various roles across its business technology titles, including ITPro. Jennifer has specialised in a number of areas over the years and has produced a wealth of content for ITPro, focusing largely on data storage, networking, cloud computing, and telecommunications.

Most recently Jennifer has turned her skills to the political sphere and broadcast journalism, where she has worked for the BBC as a political reporter, before moving to Sky News.