What is SFP?
What is SFP?
Blog Article
Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) is a compact, hot-pluggable network interface module format used for both telecommunication and data communications applications. An SFP interface on networking hardware is a modular slot for a media-specific transceiver, such as for a fiber-optic cable or a copper cable. The advantage of using SFPs compared to fixed interfaces (e.g. modular connectors in Ethernet switches) is that individual ports can be equipped with different types of transceivers as required, with the majority including optical line terminals, network cards, switches and routers.
Technical Principles and Use Cases of Ethernet SFP Modules
SFP modules are versatile enough to operate with both copper Ethernet cables and optical fiber cables. On the optical fiber side of things, SFP modules come in single-mode and multimode variants, allowing for the selection of an appropriate transceiver based on the optical range required by the network. The 100BASE SFP of these modules extends from 850nm to 1550nm. For instance, an 850nm SFP module can carry signals up to 550 meters using multimode fiber optics, while a 1550nm SFP module is capable of reaching up to 160 kilometers when paired with single-mode fiber cables. Conversely, copper SFP modules are generally available as 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-TX modules, which are optimal for gigabit Ethernet networking up to 100 meters.
SFP+ modules are engineered for use in 10-gigabit Ethernet applications sharing the same physical form factor as their SFP counterparts. Within the SFP+ family, the primary modules include SFP+ SR, SFP+ LR, and SFP+ ZR, catering to diverse network speeds and distance requirements.
The Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) is an industry-wide collaboration among manufacturers to standardize the physical form-factor and ensure interoperability of 1G BiDi SFP produced by different brands. Third-party companies have also developed proprietary tools to program SFP modules to ensure compatibility with OEM equipment. As a result, SFP modules that comply with MSA are generally successful in most of network environments.