SFP Transceivers: A Must Read
Date Added: March 15, 2010 04:18:21 AM
Author: sfpcisco
Category: Computers & Internet: Hardware
A hot-pluggable, compact optical transceiver, the Small Form-Factor pluggable (SFP) transceiver is used in optical communications for both data communications applications. The interface between a network device mother board and a copper cable or fiber optic network cable is the SFP.
The SFP transceiver is capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Channel, SONET, and a number of other communications standards. In the near future, SFP is going to expand to SFP+ for your information. At that time, data rate at 10 Gbit/s will be possible, including 8 Gigabit Fiber Channel. An SFP+ module leaves some of its circuity to be implemented on the host board as compared to Xenpac or XFP type of modules which have all their circuitry inside.
The SFP transceiver has a numerous selection available, each with different transmitter or receivers. This allows the end user to configure and customize the transceiver to get the proper optical reach with either a multi-node fiber or single-node fiber type. Additionally, the optical SFP module comes in four categories - SX, which is 850nm, LX, which is 1310nm, ZX, which is 1550nm and DWDM. All f them have an interface of a copper cable which allows a host device to communicate via USTP (unshielded twisted-pair) network cable. CWDM and single-node bi-directional fiber optic cables are also available; these fiber optic cables are 1310/1490nm upstream and downstream.
Practically available, the SFP transceiver has the capability transfer rates of up to 4.25 Gbit/s. At 10 Gbit/s, the XFP, a form factor which is practically similar to the SFP type, raises this amount by nearly three times. The SFP transceiver is specified and made compatible via a multi-source agreement (MSA) between manufacturers, so that different users who may use equipment from different manufacturers and providers can work effectively and smoothly without worrying about errors and inconveniences.
The GBIC interface is the precursor to the SFP, hence it's nicknamed as mini-GBIC. The SFP permits greater port density (number of transceivers per inch along the edge of a mother board) than the GBIC on the other hand. Also available the similar Small Form-Factor (SFF) transceiver which is about similar size as the SFP. Rather than plugged into an edge-card socket, it is directly attached to the mother board as a pin through-hole device.
Digital optical monitoring (DOM) or digital diagnostics monitoring (DDM) functions are supported by the modern optical SFP transceiver according to the industry specifications of the SFF-8472 MSA. Because of this feature, the end user has the ability to constantly monitor real-time parameters of the SFP, such as optical input/output power, supply voltage and laser bias current.
As a result, it's great to know that the SFP transceiver is a very popular format that is recommended by quite a lot of fiber optic component companies. These companies carry SFP transceivers for all Cisco devices together with transceiver modules for many other manufacturers. As a result, if you need technology solutions for your networking applications, you now know what to look for.
http://www.opticfit.com
The SFP transceiver is capable of supporting Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Channel, SONET, and a number of other communications standards. In the near future, SFP is going to expand to SFP+ for your information. At that time, data rate at 10 Gbit/s will be possible, including 8 Gigabit Fiber Channel. An SFP+ module leaves some of its circuity to be implemented on the host board as compared to Xenpac or XFP type of modules which have all their circuitry inside.
The SFP transceiver has a numerous selection available, each with different transmitter or receivers. This allows the end user to configure and customize the transceiver to get the proper optical reach with either a multi-node fiber or single-node fiber type. Additionally, the optical SFP module comes in four categories - SX, which is 850nm, LX, which is 1310nm, ZX, which is 1550nm and DWDM. All f them have an interface of a copper cable which allows a host device to communicate via USTP (unshielded twisted-pair) network cable. CWDM and single-node bi-directional fiber optic cables are also available; these fiber optic cables are 1310/1490nm upstream and downstream.
Practically available, the SFP transceiver has the capability transfer rates of up to 4.25 Gbit/s. At 10 Gbit/s, the XFP, a form factor which is practically similar to the SFP type, raises this amount by nearly three times. The SFP transceiver is specified and made compatible via a multi-source agreement (MSA) between manufacturers, so that different users who may use equipment from different manufacturers and providers can work effectively and smoothly without worrying about errors and inconveniences.
The GBIC interface is the precursor to the SFP, hence it's nicknamed as mini-GBIC. The SFP permits greater port density (number of transceivers per inch along the edge of a mother board) than the GBIC on the other hand. Also available the similar Small Form-Factor (SFF) transceiver which is about similar size as the SFP. Rather than plugged into an edge-card socket, it is directly attached to the mother board as a pin through-hole device.
Digital optical monitoring (DOM) or digital diagnostics monitoring (DDM) functions are supported by the modern optical SFP transceiver according to the industry specifications of the SFF-8472 MSA. Because of this feature, the end user has the ability to constantly monitor real-time parameters of the SFP, such as optical input/output power, supply voltage and laser bias current.
As a result, it's great to know that the SFP transceiver is a very popular format that is recommended by quite a lot of fiber optic component companies. These companies carry SFP transceivers for all Cisco devices together with transceiver modules for many other manufacturers. As a result, if you need technology solutions for your networking applications, you now know what to look for.
http://www.opticfit.com