Re: [HSSG] Backwards compatibility
Title: Backwards compatibility
Geoff,
This is what I was getting at by backwards
compatibility. If we were to do a serial high speed - 40, 80, 100,
whatever - it would be nice to smoothly upgrade one end at a time, as has been
done in copper. But I guess Brad answered the question - if there is
nothing in the 10 Gig optical PHY's to negotiate with that door is already
shut. The only question is whether to start putting those kind of hooks in
for the future.
Jim
James,
Good question. Unlike copper PHYs that use Clause
28 auto-negotiation to determine the capabilities of each PHY and to use the
highest common denominator, nothing to-date exists in 802.3 for the optical PHYs
to do the same. Depending on the approach taken by the task force (once
formed), this may be a viable option to consider. For example, an n x 10G
solution could use a base channel to communicate the capabilities of each end of
the link.
Cheers,
Brad
Excuse me for not knowing 1 & 10 Gig well enough,
but is it reasonable to consider backwards compatibility with the corresponding
implementations (i.e. short and long wavelength)? Or is backwards
compatibility a given?