The 1.6TbE Transition Will Reshape Data Center Architecture From the Ground Up
Futurum Group, Wednesday, August 19th, 2026
Futurum's Tom Hollingsworth argues 1.6 Terabit Ethernet forces simultaneous rethinking of topology, power and cooling.
Futurum Group analyst Tom Hollingsworth examines the architectural consequences of moving to 1.6 Terabit Ethernet. The transition is not a simple speed upgrade because it forces infrastructure teams to rethink physical topology, power delivery and cooling systems simultaneously.
Each of those changes would normally be handled on its own cycle. The report argues most facilities are not ready for a change that touches all three at once.
It examines what preparation is required for AI deployments that depend on the higher speeds.