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10GBASE-CX4

10GBase-CX4 is a 10-gigabit Ethernet protocol using 4-laned copper InfiniBand connectors. 10GBase-CX4, developed by IEEE 802.3ak working group, is a lower-cost switch interface. 10GBase-CX4 uses the XAUI (10 Gigabit Attachment Unit Interface) specified in 802.3ae, and the 4X connector used for InfiniBand. Rather than attempt to transmit 10 gigabits over a single copper link, the 802.3ak specification uses four transmitters and four receivers operating differentially over a bundle of very thin twin-axial cables to transmit 2.5G bit/sec each at a baud rate of 3.125 GHz per channel with 8B10B coding. This requires four differential pairs in each direction for a total of eight twin-axial channels per assembly. 10GBase-CX4 can support a cable length up to 25-meter.

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10GBASE-CX4