Editing Gigabit Ethernet (section)

== History ==
[[Ethernet]] was the result of research conducted at [[Xerox PARC]] in the early 1970s, and later evolved into a widely implemented [[Physical layer|physical]] and [[Data link layer|link layer]] protocol. [[Fast Ethernet]] increased the speed from 10 to 100 megabits per second ({{nowrap|Mbit/s}}). Gigabit Ethernet was the next iteration, increasing the speed to {{nowrap|1000 Mbit/s}}.

The initial standard for Gigabit Ethernet was produced by the [[IEEE]] in June 1998 as '''IEEE 802.3z''', and required [[optical fiber]]. 802.3z is commonly referred to as 1000BASE-X, where -X refers to either -CX, -SX, -LX, or (non-standard) -ZX.{{efn|For the history behind the "X" see {{section link|Fast Ethernet|Nomenclature}}.}} IEEE 802.3ab, ratified in 1999, defines Gigabit Ethernet transmission over [[unshielded twisted pair]] (UTP) [[Category 5 cable|category 5, 5e]] or [[Category 6 cable|6]] cabling, and became known as 1000BASE-T. With the ratification of 802.3ab, Gigabit Ethernet became a desktop technology as organizations could use their existing copper cabling infrastructure. [[IEEE 802.3ah]], ratified in 2004, added two more GbE fiber standards: 1000BASE-LX10 (which was already widely implemented as vendor-specific extension) and 1000BASE-BX10. This was part of a larger group of protocols known as [[Ethernet in the First Mile]].

Initially, Gigabit Ethernet was deployed in high-capacity [[backbone network]] links (for instance, on a high-capacity campus network). In 2000 and 2001, [[Apple Computer|Apple's]] [[Power Mac G4]] and [[PowerBook G4]] respectively were the first mass-produced personal computers to feature the 1000BASE-T connection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.apple-history.com/frames/body.php?page=gallery&model=g4giga |title=Power Macintosh G4 (Gigabit Ethernet) |publisher=apple-history.com |access-date=November 5, 2007}}</ref> It quickly became a built-in feature in many other computers.

[[Half-duplex]] GbE links connected through [[Ethernet hub|repeater hubs]] were part of the IEEE specification,<ref>A single repeater per collision domain is defined in IEEE 802.3 2008 Section 3: 41. Repeater for 1000&nbsp;Mb/s baseband networks</ref> but the specification has not been maintained and [[full-duplex]] operation with [[Network switch|switches]] is, in practice, used exclusively.<!--[[User:Kvng/RTH]]-->