EP1S30F780C6 Datasheet, PDF (645/864 Pages) Altera Corporation – Stratix Device Handbook, Volume 1

S52010-2.0
Introduction
10-Gigabit
Ethernet
Altera Corporation
July 2005
8. Implementing 10-Gigabit
Ethernet Using Stratix &
Stratix GX Devices
Ethernet has evolved to meet ever-increasing bandwidth demands and is
the most prevalent local-area network (LAN) communications protocol.
10-Gigabit Ethernet extends that protocol to higher bandwidth for future
high-speed applications. The accelerated growth of network traffic and
the resulting increase in bandwidth requirements is driving service
providers and enterprise network architects towards high-speed network
solutions. Potential applications for 10-Gigabit Ethernet include private
campus or LAN backbones, high-speed access links between service
providers and enterprises, and aggregation and transport in metropolitan
area networks (MANs).
The I/O features of Stratix^® and Stratix GX devices enable support for 10-
Gigabit Ethernet, supporting 10-Gigabit 16-bit interface (XSBI) and 10-
Gigabit medium independent interface (XGMII). Stratix GX devices can
additionally support the 10-gigabit attachment unit interface (XAUI)
using the embedded 3.125-Gbps transceivers. You can find more
information on XAUI support in Section II, Stratix GX Transceiver User
Guide, of the Stratix GX Device Handbook, Volume 1.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
■ Fundamentals of 10-Gigabit Ethernet
■ Description and implementation of XSBI
■ Description and implementation of XGMII
■ Description of XAUI
■ I/O characteristics of XSBI, XGMII, and XAUI
Related Links
■ 10-Gigabit Ethernet Alliance at www.10gea.org
■ The Stratix Device Family Data Sheet section of the Stratix Device
Handbook, Volume 1 and the Stratix GX Device Family Data Sheet
section of the Stratix GX Device Handbook, Volume 1
■ The High-Speed Differential I/O Interfaces in Stratix Devices chapter
Ethernet speed has increased to keep pace with demand, initially to
10 megabits per second (Mbps), later to 100 Mbps, and recently to
1 gigabit per second (Gbps). Ethernet is the dominant network
technology in LANs, and with the advent of 10-Gigabit Ethernet, it is
entering the MAN and wide area network (WAN) markets.
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