Intel Ships 10-Gbps Ethernet Adapter For Data Centers

Intel on Monday introduced a 10-Gbps Ethernet (10GbE) adapter for servers at a price point and in a form factor the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip maker claimed makes 10GbE practical for the data center.

The Intel PRO/10GbE SR Server Adapter is priced under $5,000 and operates on standard multimode fiber, said Intel, the two requirements analysts have generally said must be met to push 10GbE into enterprise data centers.

The adapter, which fits standard server slots, uses XPAK optical technology to reduce the price by 40 percent. Its target: bandwidth-intensive applications such as server clusters and network storage.

XPAK is a specification initiated by Intel, Infineon, and Picolight for small form factor 10 Gigabit modules. Intel's adapter uses XPAK optics to provide 10-Gbps Ethernet over fiber within server farms, where distances are relatively short, typically less than 300 meters.

Intel also said it was collaborating with switch maker Cisco to provide interoperability with that vendor's Catalyst 6500 Series Switches.The PRO/10GbE SR Server Adapter is available now at a price of $4,770.

This summer, Intel will roll out a version for single-mode fiber, the PRO/10GbE LR Server Adapter, that will support distances up to 10 kilometers and target high-speed Ethernet communication between regional data centers.