The Ethernet Alliance at 20: Looking Back and Moving Forward
Twenty years of Ethernet Alliance history. A changing of the guard. A look back at the predictions that helped shape today’s Ethernet landscape. And an industry gearing up to meet the demands of AI.
The third quarter of 2026 gave us plenty of reasons to reflect on how far we’ve come, celebrate the people who brought us here, and look toward the future. From revisiting the earliest Technology Exploration Forums to preparing for TEF 2026, one theme kept resurfacing: Ethernet’s story is still being written.
Two Decades Later: Here’s to the People Who Got Us Here
Twenty years is a lot of ground to cover, especially in an industry that rarely slows down.
In our two-part anniversary retrospective, The Ethernet Alliance: Twenty Years of Community, Collaboration, and Innovation, Part I and Part II: Beyond the Horizon, we looked back at the people, partnerships, and technological advances that helped our organization become what it is today.
Ethernet never stands still. But through twenty years of change, one thing has remained constant: the people and partnerships that keep it moving forward. Every challenge overcome opens the door to another, and the Ethernet Alliance’s true superpower has always been its community: the people who come together, share their expertise, and find a way to tackle whatever comes next.
Opening the Ethernet Time Capsule
What better way to prepare for the future than to revisit what we thought it might look like ten years ago?
In September, we caught up with three original TEF 2016: The Road to Ethernet 2026 speakers, John D’Ambrosia, David J. Rodgers, and George Zimmerman, to see how their predictions held up. In Opening the Ethernet Time Capsule: Looking Back at TEF 2016, Ten Years Later Part I and Part II, they reflected on what they got right, what surprised them, and how the industry has evolved over the past decade.
Meanwhile, we were looking ahead to TEF 2026 – The AI Future: Ethernet, held October 7–8. AI is changing the game for networking, and Ethernet has a big role to play in what comes next. TEF 2026 brought industry experts together to tackle some of the biggest questions surrounding AI’s growing demands and what Ethernet needs to deliver.
As John D’Ambrosia shared in The AI Future is Arriving Fast and Ethernet is Leading the Way, this conversation didn’t begin overnight. TEF 2024: Ethernet in the Age of AI helped bring AI networking into sharper focus, laying the groundwork for the discussions that followed.
There may be a decade between TEF 2016 and TEF 2026, but the more things change, the more they stay the same. The challenges may be different, but the mission remains familiar: anticipating what’s next, bringing the right people together, and keeping Ethernet moving forward alongside the industries that depend on it.
Changing of the Guard
After seven years at the helm of the Ethernet Alliance, Peter Jones handed the reins to David Rodgers in Q3. Luckily, Peter isn’t sailing off into the sunset. He’ll be stepping into the role of Chair Emeritus, so we can continue to benefit from his experience, insight, and perspective.
Throughout the years, Peter helped steer us through changing seas. We’re grateful for his dedication, his guidance, and everything he’s contributed along the way. As for David, he’s hardly a newcomer. He’s been part of the Ethernet Alliance for years, and we’re excited to see him take the helm and help chart the course for whatever comes next.
Learn more in Passing the Baton: A New Chapter for Ethernet Alliance Leadership.
Q3 2026 Events: Collaboration Nation
September gave us two more opportunities to turn collaboration into action, from the technical discussions at the IEEE Interim Meeting to a major interoperability demonstration at ECOC 2026.
IEEE 802.1 and 802.3 September Interim Session
The IEEE Interim Meeting brought participants together, both in person and virtually, for technical discussions, collaboration, and the ongoing work of advancing Ethernet standards.
We’re grateful to everyone who took part and helped make the gathering a success. Events like these are a reminder that behind every standard and technological advance is a community of people willing to put in the work.
And because the conversations are only part of the experience, we’ve also put together a photo gallery from the event’s social gathering.
Bringing 1.6T Ethernet Closer to Reality
At ECOC 2026 in Málaga, Spain, the Ethernet Alliance put the industry’s progress toward 1.6T Ethernet on display.
This year’s interoperability demonstration highlighted an important development as AI, cloud computing, and other bandwidth-intensive applications continue to push networking requirements higher.
The demonstration brought together a diverse array of participating member companies, including Amphenol, Cisco, HPE, Huawei, Hyper Photonix, Keysight, Multilane, Synopsys, TE Connectivity, Teledyne LeCroy, VeEX, and Wilder Technologies.
Behind a demonstration of this scale is a tremendous amount of preparation, technical expertise, testing, and coordination. We’re grateful to our member companies and everyone who helped bring it together.
For a closer look at the technologies and achievements on display, read our press release, 1.6T Ethernet Moves Closer to Reality in Ethernet Alliance’s ECOC 2026 Demo. And for a look behind the scenes, explore our ECOC 2026 photo gallery.
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