Linux Foundation Creates Ultra Ethernet Consortium with Cisco, Microsoft, AMD and More

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Big names come together to refine Ethernet standards for AI and high-performance computing.

Network cables
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Earlier today, the Linux Foundation shared a new press release detailing plans for the Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC). This effort involves several prominent industry leaders, including AMD, Arista, Broadcom, Cisco, Eviden, HPE, Intel, Meta, and Microsoft. The consortium intends to optimize Ethernet standards for high-performance networking.

As more advancements are made in artificial intelligence, machine learning and other forms of high-performance computing, so are the demands of the networks that support these systems. The goal of UEC is for the involved companies to work together in improving the standards of modern networking protocols so they might be better equipped to handle the workloads of these newer advanced systems.

Dr. J Metz is Chair of the Ultra Ethernet Consortium and stated that there is no need to overhaul Ethernet, but instead, the team hopes to make adjustments over time that will improve efficiency.

“We're looking at every layer - from the physical all the way through the software layers - to find the best way to improve efficiency and performance at scale."

Dr. J Metz

So far, a few specific technical hurdles have been identified, which the consortium intends to focus upon. This involves the development of APIs and specifications for various Ethernet communication protocols, interfaces and data structures to suit the needs of high-performance technology better.

Additional areas of interest include both link-level and end-to-end network transport protocols. The press release also mentions congestion, signaling mechanisms, and telemetry as necessary targets. What this looks like in practice will only be apparent in time, but we can expect things like new software and Ethernet security protocols developed with AI, machine learning, and high-performance computing in mind.

You can read more about the UEC on their official website, including frequently asked questions and news and updates. The latest press release also provides plenty of information about forming the new consortium and its future goals.

Ash Hill
Ash Hill
Contributing Writer

Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.

31 Comments Comment from the forums
  • peachpuff
    We'll finally get cheap 10gbe ports for the pc?!?
    Reply
  • hotaru.hino
    peachpuff said:
    We'll finally get cheap 10gbe ports for the pc?!?
    No. How the protocol operates can't manipulate the laws of physics.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    hotaru.hino said:
    No. How the protocol operates can't manipulate the laws of physics.
    I think the lack of cheap 10GbE equipment has more to do with the laws of economies of scale and market demand for consumer-grade 10GbE than any physics. Most normal people have little to no use for anything beyond 1GbE yet. For many people, the only network wiring they have is the cable connecting their ISP gateway to the outside world. Among my immediate friends and family, I think I'm the only one using wired networking for everything that has an Ethernet port. My main PC is the only one with 2.5GbE and I have no plan to upgrade my 11ac router for 2.5+GbE while those routers still carry a steep premium.
    Reply
  • USAFRet
    ^^^^^^
    Exactly.

    In the consumer space, there is little need for above gigabit ethernet.
    People aren't slinging a dozen 4k movies around the house on a daily basis.

    And a LARGE segment of people have WiFi only.
    Reply
  • hotaru.hino
    InvalidError said:
    I think the lack of cheap 10GbE equipment has more to do with the laws of economies of scale and market demand for consumer-grade 10GbE than any physics. Most normal people have little to no use for anything beyond 1GbE yet. For many people, the only network wiring they have is the cable connecting their ISP gateway to the outside world. Among my immediate friends and family, I think I'm the only one using wired networking for everything that has an Ethernet port. My main PC is the only one with 2.5GbE and I have no plan to upgrade my 11ac router for 2.5+GbE while those routers still carry a steep premium.
    While I don't disagree the economies of scale will help cheapen the cost of getting everything up to 10GbE, my point is more if there's still a relatively high cost of high performance networking components, optimizing the protocol isn't going to change that.

    It's like asking if DX12 would've made video cards cheaper.
    Reply
  • edzieba
    Notable by their absence is Nvidia, particularly with the investment they've put into Mellanox post-acquisition.
    Reply
  • NeoMorpheus
    edzieba said:
    Notable by their absence is Nvidia, particularly with the investment they've put into Mellanox post-acquisition.
    Well, not surprising, given that they hate open standards or anything that they cannot lock you down with.
    Reply
  • InvalidError
    hotaru.hino said:
    While I don't disagree the economies of scale will help cheapen the cost of getting everything up to 10GbE, my point is more if there's still a relatively high cost of high performance networking components, optimizing the protocol isn't going to change that.
    Optimizations geared towards AI and HPC are unlikely to help the unwashed masses either. On a strictly per-port unit cost basis, I doubt 10GbE today costs a whole lot more than 1GbE did when it became mainstream ~16 years ago - we do have at least 10X more DSP processing power per dollar and watt than we had back then.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    peachpuff said:
    We'll finally get cheap 10gbe ports for the pc?!?
    As the article said, they're not looking to overhaul existing standards, but merely looking for opportunities to improve efficiency and scalability. They are probably concerned mostly with 100 Gbps and above.

    I do think 10 Gbps will still become more mainstream, in time. It's been moving at a glacial pace, but faster Ethernet standards have become more common and affordable. 2.5 Gbps is finally becoming entrenched as the new standard for upper-end mainstream boards, and you can get 8-port, fanless, 2.5 Gbps switches for under $100.
    https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256803479086238.html
    And here's a 2.5 Gbps NIC for $13.70, shipped:
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/275745934700
    I bought one and tested it. The heatsink isn't necessary, but I think it's a nice touch. Most don't have one.
    Reply
  • bit_user
    InvalidError said:
    My main PC is the only one with 2.5GbE and I have no plan to upgrade my 11ac router for 2.5+GbE while those routers still carry a steep premium.
    I just bought a DOCSIS 3.0 cable modem, which requires a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet port to reach maximum speed. I still have yet to replace my router, as I don't really need the extra speed (not to mention that I expect ustream bottlenecks will mean I rarely ever see it, in practice).

    It is something of a milestone, I think. My first cable modem had a 10 Mbps port and I thought that was pretty cool (my first modem was 1200 baud, which was decidedly not very cool, as I think 14.4k modems were already the hot new thing, and you could almost read text as fast a 1200 baud modem would download it).
    Reply