40 Gigabit Ethernet (40GbE) 40 Gigabit Ethernet (40GbE) is a standard that enables the transfer of Ethernet frames at speeds of up to 40 gigabits per second (Gbps). The 40GbE standard is intended for local server connectivity; a more robust standard, 100 Gigabit Ethernet (100GbE), is intended for Internet backbones. In 2007, the IEEE Higher Speed Study Group started work toward 40GbE and 100GbE standards with the goal of increasing available bandwidth while maintaining maximum compat...