Batch Name: EPGP-EG 2013-14 Course Name : IT Networking

Case name: Grand Junction Networks (GJN)

Group Number: 8Group Members:1) Ayan Mukherjee (EG2013-08)2) Kolhe Pravin Shivaji (EG2013-17)3) Naresh Kumar Bairwa (EG2013-26)4) Shaikh Owais Aslam (EG2013-35)

Inferences drawn from GJN Case Study

• Even though the experts were reluctant to see the potential in Ethernet, the Charney’s team realized Fast Ethernet as breakthrough technology.

• They anticipated the business opportunity in the switch segment with 10 fold increase in the speed.

• They predicted that the technology would be cheap and it would integrate different speeds as against existing switches.

• As a new strategy they decided to develop market favouring standard based technology, which would be extension of the existing one.

Inferences drawn from GJN Case Study

• Even though dominant market leaders threatened them to back-off, they were stuck with their concept of Fast Ethernet technology.

• To overcome the threat, consortium was formed with aim of having major market share without disclosing the technical know how with the collaborative organizations

• Solutions provided by the GJN consortium was in the best interest of industry and customers.

• Finally GJN consortium was successful in convening the IEEE for a meeting on amendments in Standard 802.3.

Exhibit 1. History of Ethernet & Envisioning of GJN

• 10 Mbps Ethernet was invented in 1973 by Bob Metcalfe & David Boggs & standardized as Version 1.0 & 2.0 (1980 &1982 respectively) by DIX.

• ANSI & IEEE adopted “Standard 802.3 CSMS/CD” protocol in 1983 which was based on MAC Layer & the Physical Layer.

• Ethernet was difficult to manage & despite a huge market share (80-90%) for LAN, bandwidth of only 10-Mbps resulted in low revenues.

• In 1990, Kalpana had introduced multiple-port Ethernet switch, which Charney’s GJN team foresaw could integrate 10 & 100 Mbps ports.

• GJN was envisioned in 1991 to create “Fast Ethernet” that would be 10 times faster by making changes in the Physical layer only.

Exhibit 2. Formation & Challenges of GJN

• In 1992, GJN was officially formed by Charney’s team & they announced “Fast Ethernet” concept on 28 Sept 1992 trying to capture the first mover advantage.

• HP’s DPAM technology was capable of managing multimedia applications, was a deterministic network with less wait time, and supported backward compatibility.

• As it was HP proprietary & it required changes in MAC layer, which was not in best interest of industry & customers.

• To compete with HP’s DPAM & to avoid major changes in Standards, 3Com, SynOptics, Sun Microsystems & GJN collaborated suggesting changes in physical layer only.

• In 1992, IEEE 802.3 meeting was called to discuss suggestions proposed by GJN Team.

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CONTACT: -

Pravin Kolhe, Executive Engineer

Water Resources Department, Government of Maharashtra

Email:- pravinkolhe82@gmail.comwww.pravinkolhe.com

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