Ethernet by year's end. But only recently have businesses turned to it in growing numbers, as more products become available and prices fall. Extreme Networks Inc., a pioneer in producing gear that extends Ethernet LANs across metro areas, last week previewed Multiprotocol Label Switching features that it will make available next month on its wide-area gigabit Ethernet products. International Data Corp. senior analyst Katrina Dahlquist said gigabit Ethernet accounted for 6 percent of LAN switching sales in 1998 and will account for 26 percent this year. Still, not everyone needs gigabit Ethernet.
Some analysts say there are also unresolved quality issues.
But Buena Vista University in Storm Valley, Iowa, is already sold. It has gigabit Ethernet links in place in all the buildings on its 60-acre campus. Ethernet is going to be necessary to keep the core network running cleanly.