When it comes to the packaging of optical modules, the most commonly used packaging is SFP and SFP+. What are the packaging options for optical modules. According to the packaging type, optical modules are mainly divided into SFP, SFP+, and XFP. What are the differences between them?
SFP transceivers also provide copper cable interfaces, allowing host devices primarily designed for fiber optic communication to communicate through UTP network cables. There are also wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) and single fiber bidirectional (1310/1490 nanometer wavelength uplink/downlink) SFPs. Commercial SFP transceivers can provide speeds up to 4.25 G bps. The several packaging forms of 10 Gbps transceivers are XFP, as well as a new variant "SFP+" that is basically the same as SFP packaging.
GBIC (abbreviation for Gigabit Interface Converter) is an interface device that converts gigabit electrical signals into optical signals. GBIC design can be used for hot swapping. GBIC is an interchangeable product that meets international standards. Gigabit switches designed with GBIC interfaces have a significant market share due to their flexible interchangeability. SFP (Small Form factor Pluggable) can be simply understood as an upgraded version of GBIC.
SFP supports SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Channel, and some other communication standards. This standard extends to SFP+and supports a transmission rate of 10.0 Gbit/s, including 8 gigabit fiber channel and 10GbE. The SFP+module version with fiber optic and copper core versions has been introduced. Compared to the Xenpak, X2, or XFP versions of the module, the SFP+module retains some of the circuits implemented on the motherboard rather than within the module
The 10G module has gone through the development of 300Pin, XENPAK, X2, XFP, and finally achieved the transmission of 10G signals with the same size as SFP, which is SFP+. SFP, with its advantages of miniaturization and low cost, meets the demand for high-density optical modules in devices. Since its standard launch in 2002, it has replaced XFP as the mainstream in the 10G market by 2010.
Advantages of SFP+optical modules:
1. SFP+has a more compact exterior size than X2 and XFP packaging (the same size as SFP);
2. Can be directly connected to XFP, X2, XENPAK of the same type;
3. The cost is lower than XFP, X2, XENPAK products.
The difference between SFP+and SFP:
1. The appearance dimensions of SFP and SFP+are the same;
2. SFP protocol specifications: IEEE802.3, SFF-8472
The difference between SFP+and XFP:
1. SFP+and XFP are both 10G fiber optic modules and can communicate with other types of 10G modules;
2. SFP+has a smaller appearance size than XFP;
3. Due to its smaller size, SFP+has moved the signal modulation function, serial/deserializer, MAC, clock and data recovery (CDR), as well as electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) function from the module to the motherboard card;
4. XFP complies with the following protocol: XFP MSA protocol;
5. SFP+complies with IEEE 802.3ae, SFF-8431, SFF-8432 protocols;
6. SFP+is a more mainstream design.
7. SFP+protocol specifications: IEEE 802.3ae, SFF-8431, SFF-8432.
