Abstract

When Ethernet was introduced some 40 years ago, only few would have envisioned the extraordinary success story that would follow. While, at first, Ethernet grew to become the dominant communication standard in the office and IT communication, it quickly entered new application domains, and whenever it did, chances were high that it proved to be a mainstream alternative to niche and potential proprietary protocols. There are a variety of reasons why Ethernet manages over and over again to enter new application domains and become the leading communication technology in the new field. However, one main factor that has contributed to the vast distribution and application of Ethernet is its steady and incremental standards improvements and the industry support that comes hand in hand with that.