Chapter 1 Introduction
Fast Ethernet Technology
The growing importance of LANs and the increasing complexity of desktop computing applications are fueling the needs for high performance networks. A number of high-speed LAN technologies are available to provide greater bandwidth and improve client/server response times. Among them, Fast Ethernet, also known as 100Base-T, provides the smoothest migration path for the current 10Base-T technology. The non- disruptive and smooth evolutionary nature of Fast Ethernet, plus its prevailing market acceptance, guarantees it as the most cost effective and high-performance networking solution of the future.
100Base-T networks essentially look and act like 10Base-T networks, only faster (see Table 1-1, page 8). 100Base-T provides 10 times the performance of 10Base-T while retaining most of the same cabling rules and the CSMA/CD media-access method. 100Base-T also uses the same packet format, packet length, error control and management information as 10Base-T. As such, 100Base-T is recognized as the true and rightful heir of 10Base-T.
For flexibility, the 100Base-T specification contains three different cabling schemes, 100Base-TX (Cat 5 UTP), 100Base-T4 (Cat 3,4 or 5 UTP) and 100Base-FX (fiber optic). 100Base-TX is probably the most popular choice since it enables users to retain their existing 10Base-T cabling infrastructure and easily migrate to Fast Ethernet.
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