IEEE study group to explore minimum latency traffic, Ethernet convergence opportunities

IEEE has announced the formation of an IEEE 802.3 “Standard for Ethernet” study group to explore the requirements for network latency and real-time control in industries such as industrial automation and automotive. The new "IEEE 802.3 Distinguished Minimum Latency Traffic in a Converged Traffic Environment Study Group" will look at additional opportunities to expand the overall Ethernet market and their associated technology requirements.

According to a press release, the purpose of the new IEEE 802.3 study group is "to look at the promise of simultaneous support for undisturbed distinguished real-time control traffic and best-effort traffic (e.g., audio and video data) on a single [converged] Ethernet network, maximizing bandwidth usage while retaining the network's real-time capabilities to support operations in automotive control, industrial automation and other applications."

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“Companies are eager to efficiently converge all network services -- scheduled, streaming and priority-based, and best-effort traffic -- onto the same LAN," comments Ludwig Winkel, chair of the new IEEE 802.3 study group and a fieldbus standards manager at Siemens Industry Automation Division. "But for this to occur, particularly in certain market segments such as industrial automation and automotive, lower end-to-end latency and real-time control are required in support of scheduled traffic in time-sensitive LANs."

Interested individuals are invited to contribute to the new study group, which is scheduled to meet 17-22 March 2013 at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Fla., as part of the IEEE 802 plenary session. Visit www.ieee802.org/meeting/index.html for more information.

Learn more about the IEEE's 802.3 Ethernet Working Group.

See also: How to measure Ethernet switch latency