In 2Q18, data center (DC) Ethernet switch revenue reached $2.9B, up 2% YoY, and ports reached 14M, up 14% YoY, mainly due to significant 25/100GE port growth.
During the quarter both 25GE and 100GE port shipments grew in the triple-digits, 150% and 220% YoY, respectively. General purpose and bare metal switches attributed the most to 100GE port increases, both grew over 400% YoY; purpose built switches are credited with being the primary drivers for 25GE port increases, growing over 140% YoY during the quarter. “These results were no surprise as 100GE and 25GE switches based on merchant silicon are readily available and ASPs continue to decline, making the economics for higher speed ports more attractive,” says Devan Adams, MBA, senior analyst, Cloud and Data Center Research Practice, IHS Markit.