An Insider’s Look at the Ethernet Alliance Technology Exploration Forum
What’s a TEF, anyway? Shorthand for the ongoing “Technology Exploration Forum” event series, TEF 2024 is the industry gathering of the year. Uniting industry professionals for critical discussions about forward-looking technology trends, it enables greater value and bolsters the capabilities needed to meet the demands of Ethernet deployments and applications. TEFs attract a wide range of Ethernet ecosystem stakeholders, including equipment suppliers, technology evangelists, test and validation specialists, and end users for an open dialog into current and future advances.
From 200G to 400G: How TEF 2024 Will Shape the Future of Ethernet and AI Integration
The Ethernet ecosystem is on the verge of 200 Gigabit Ethernet per lane (200G/lane) becoming a reality. With industry experts already looking toward 400G/lane, TEF 2024 discussions will explore the form 400G/lane speed solutions might take, what interconnect solutions will be best suited, and more.
TEFs play a vital role in the industry, serving as one of the – if not the only – venues where the whole of the Ethernet ecosystem comes together to collectively shape the future of Ethernet. They offer a unique forum for users to voice their plans and requirements for upcoming applications, and is also where the broader community can debate the advantages, drawbacks, challenges, and opportunities presented by potential solutions. Ethernet is the foundation and literal backbone of the Internet, driving the exponential growth of artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML). From switches to servers, and interconnects to storage arrays, Ethernet-based communications are the essential infrastructure underpinning these powerful computing platforms.
By the Numbers: The Explosive Growth of AI and Ethernet’s Pivotal Role
How big will this get? Really big.
A recent Network World article referencing a Gartner, Inc. report forecasts a 24.1% increase in IT spending on data center systems in 2024 alone. According to Gartner Distinguished VP Analyst, John-David Lovelock, this projected surge will be driven primarily by the explosive growth in AI server demand. The Ethernet industry must step up to develop and supply the networking equipment needed to support these AI data centers.
Additionally, Dell’Oro Group’s press release, InfiniBand Leads in the Near Term, Ethernet Set to Dominate Soon, projects spending on switches deployed in AI back-end networks used to connect accelerated servers is forecast to approach $80 billion over the next five years, nearly doubling the total data center switch market opportunity.
650 Group co-founder and analyst Alan Weckel also noted in his August 2024 blog post, Massive June-July 2024 Announcement Slate Pushes Ethernet into Dominant Position in AI Networking, that “the AI networking market will exceed $30 billion in 2028, providing one of the largest growth markets that Ethernet has ever experienced.”
TEF 2024: Driving Innovation Through Collaboration and Interoperability
The Ethernet Alliance has a long-standing, well-regarded history of hosting interoperability test events that foster the rapid adoption of new technologies, and facilitate a more unified, cost-effective user experience. TEF 2024 aligns perfectly with the Ethernet Alliance’s mission of promoting greater collaboration across the Ethernet ecosystem.
Ethernet Alliance Chairman, Peter Jones, emphasizes, “Events like TEF 2024 are fundamental to helping the industry coalesce around what’s needed by bringing together all the important players to have these pivotal conversations. It’s clear that the Ethernet industry has to deliver the right technologies at the right time.”
David J. Rodgers, Ethernet Alliance Events Chair and Board Member, adds, “As a long-time Test and Measurement (T&M) champion, I’m attending TEF 2024 to better understand how proposed Ethernet initiatives will impact T&M requirements and moreover, the challenges of achieving interoperability conformance.”
TEF 2024: Ethernet in the Age of AI takes place October 23-24, 2024 at the Santa Clara Convention Center. Learn more or reserve your seat now at: https://bit.ly/EA_TEF2024
