Cisco 40GBASE QSFP+ Modules Overview

In today’s telecommunication markets, Cisco 40GBASE QSFP+ modules offer customers a wide variety of high-density and low-power 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, high-performance computing networks, enterprise core and distribution layers, as well as service provider transport applications. In order to help customers have a deeper understanding about the 40G QSFP+ modules, this article will introduce several kinds of connectivity options provided by Cisco.

Features and Benefits of Cisco 40GBASE QSFP+ Module

Main features of Cisco 40GBASE QSFP+ modules include:

• Interoperable with other IEEE-compliant 40GBASE interfaces
• Hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into a 40 Gigabit Ethernet Cisco QSFP+ port
• High-speed electrical interface compliant to the IEEE 802.3ba standard
• Compliant to SFF 8436 and QSFP Multisource Agreement (MSA)

Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4-S

Cisco 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ module supports link lengths of 100m and 150m respectively on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multimode fiber cables. It primarily enables high-bandwidth 40G optical links over 12-fiber ribbon r cables terminated with MPO/MTP multi-fiber connectors. It can also be used in 4x10G mode along with ribbon to duplex fiber breakout cables for connectivity to four 10GBASE-SR optical interfaces. Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4-S is optimized to guarantee interoperability with any IEEE-compliant 40GBase-SR4 module.

Cisco QSFP-40G-CSR4

Cisco 40GBASE-CSR4 QSFP+ module extends the reach of the IEEE 40GBASE-SR4 interface to 300m and 400m respectively on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multimode fiber cables. Each 10-gigabit lane of this module is compliant to IEEE 10GBASE-SR specifications. This module can be used for native 40G optical links over 12-fiber ribbon cables with MPO/MTP connectors, or in a 4x10G mode with ribbon to duplex fiber breakout cables for connectivity to four 10GBASE-SR interfaces. The following picture shows a Cisco QSFP-40G-SR4-S QSFP+ module and a Cisco QSFP-40G-CSR4 QSFP+ module.

Cisco QSFP-40G-LR4-S

Cisco 40GBASE-LR4 QSFP module supports link lengths of up to 10 km over a standard pair of G.652 single-mode fiber with duplex LC connectors. QSFP-40G-LR4-S module supports 40GBase Ethernet rate only. 40 Gigabit Ethernet signal is carried over four wavelengths. Multiplexing and demultiplexing of the four wavelengths are managed in the device. QSFP-40G-LR4-S does not support FCoE.

Cisco WSP-Q40GLR4L

Cisco WSP-Q40GLR4L QSFP+ module supports link lengths of up to 2 km over a standard pair of G.652 single-mode fiber (SMF) with duplex LC connectors. 40 Gigabit Ethernet signal is carried over four wavelengths. It is interoperable with 40GBase-LR4 for distances up to 2 kilometers.

Cisco QSFP+ Copper Direct Attach Cables (DACs)

Cisco QSFP+ copper DACs include QSFP+ to QSFP+ copper DACs and QSFP+ to 4SFP+ copper DACs. Cisco QSFP+ copper DACs are suitable for very short distances and offer a very cost-effective way to establish a 40-gigabit link between QSFP+ ports of Cisco switches within racks and across adjacent racks. QSFP+ to 4SFP+ copper breakout DACs cables connect to a 40G QSFP+ port of a Cisco switch on one end and to four 10G SFP+ ports of a Cisco switch on the other end.

Cisco QSFP+ Active Optical Cables (AOCs)

Cisco QSFP+ AOCs include QSFP+ to QSFP+ AOCs and QSFP+ to 4SFP+ AOCs. Active optical cables are much thinner and lighter than copper cables, which makes cabling easier. Active optical cables enable efficient system airflow and have no electromagnetic interference (EMI) issues, which is critical in high-density racks.

Cisco 40G QSFP+ portfolio also cover many other products like Cisco QSFP-40G-SR-BD, Cisco QSFP-40G-BD-RX, Cisco QSFP-40G-ER4, etc. As a professional manufacturer and supplier for optical fiber products, FS.COM provides various kinds of 40GBase QSFP+ transceivers branded by many famous companies. Cisco QSFP+ transceivers offered by FS.COM are the most cost-effective standards-based QSFP+ modules fully compatible with Cisco switches and routers. They are 100% compatible with major brands and backed by a lifetime warranty.

1000BASE-SX SFP Modules Provided by FS.COM

Introduction to Gigabit Ethernet

In order to accelerate speeds from 100 Mbps Fast Ethernet up to 1 Gbps, many changes have been made to the physical interfaces. Gigabit Ethernet uses the same 802.3 frame format as 10Mbps and 100Mbps Ethernet systems. It runs ten times faster than the speed of Fast Ethernet, backward compatibility is assured with earlier versions, increasing its attractiveness by offering a high bandwidth connectivity system to the Ethernet family of devices.

Defined by IEEE 802.3z standard, Gigabit Ethernet originally launched three different physical layers: 1000Base-LX and 1000Base-SX using fiber and 1000Base-CX using copper. These physical layers were originally developed by IBM for the ANSI Fibre Channel systems and used 8B/10B encoding to reduce the bandwidth required to send high-speed signals. The IEEE merged the fibre channel to the Ethernet MAC using a gigabit media independent interface (GMII), which defines an electrical interface, enabling existing fibre channel PHY chips to be used and enabling future physical layers to be easily added.

1000Base-SX for Horizontal Fiber

1000Base-SX is a physical layer specification for Gigabit Ethernet over fiber optic cabling as defined in IEEE 802.3z. SX stands for short wavelength. And 1000Base-SX uses short wavelength laser (850nm) over multimode fiber as opposed to 1000Base-LX, which uses long wavelength laser over both multimode and single-mode fiber. The maximum distance of (multimode) fiber, based on 1000Base SX is 550m.

This Gigabit Ethernet version was developed for the short backbone connections of the horizontal network wiring. The SX systems operate full-duplex with multimode fiber only, using the cheaper 850nm wavelength laser diodes. The maximum distance supported varies between 200 and 550 meters depending on the bandwidth and attenuation of the fiber optic cable used. The standard 1000Base-SX NICs available today are full-duplex and incorporate LC fiber connectors.

1000BASE-SX SFP Optical Module Selection Guide

SFP transceiver is a hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into a Gigabit Ethernet port/slot, linking the port with the fiber-optic network. SFP can be used and interchanged on a wide variety of Cisco products and can be intermixed in combinations of IEEE 802.3z compliant 1000Base-SX interfaces on a port-by-port basis. 1000BASE-SX SFP (eg. Cisco GLC-SX-MM) supports link length of up to 550m on multimode fiber at 1Gbps. This optic works at 850nm wavelength and uses a LC connector.

SFP modules have now become an indispensable component in networks. Thus, it is very necessary to use quality assured modules. If you want to purchase cheaper and 100% compatible 1000Base-SX SFP modules online, FS.COM may be your good choice. You would not worry about the compatibility of the optics you have bought here. Because there is a perfect system from the production to shipment. Compatible SFP transceiver modules offered by FS.COM are test-assured and fully compatible with major brands (such as Cisco, HP, NETGEAR, Finisar, Juniper, etc.) and supported by a lifetime warranty. Besides, all these SFP modules can be customized according to your specific requirements.

Application of Fiber Transceivers in Data Center Communication

Fiber optical transceiver is the most common component in today’s data center communications. But few people realize it. By converting electronic signals into optical signals as transmitters at one end and then converting optical signals into electronic signals at the other end as receivers, it is an indispensable part in data transmission. Different types of transceivers have different applications in reality. Some are used together with singlemode fiber cables in singlemode applications while others are for multimode.

Use Optical Transceivers Rather Than Copper for Shorter Distance Applications

Copper SFPs provide a high-speed RJ45 data connector interface for unshielded, twisted-pair copper cable. The 1000BASE-T copper SFP allows a maximum link distance of up to 100 m. For 1Gbps Cisco SFP modules, if the optical transmission distance is less than 275 meters, multimode or single-mode optical fiber and any type of transceiver can be used. If the transmission distance is between 275 and 500 meters, 50/125-micron multimode or single-mode optical fiber and any type of transceiver can be used.

Use Single- module SFP Transceivers for Long Distance Fiber Network Applications

If the transmission distance exceeds 500 meters, only single-mode optical fiber and a long wave laser transceiver can be used. With the IEEE802.3ae standard, seven new media types were defined for LAN, metropolitan area network and wide area network connectivity:

• 1000BASE-SX SFP for Multimode Fiber Only – link lengths up to 550m
• 1000BASE-LX/LH SFP for Both Multimode and Single-Mode Fibers - link lengths up to 10km on SMF and up to 550m on MMF.
• 1000BASE-EX SFP for Long-Reach Single-Mode Fibers - link lengths up to 40km.
• 1000BASE-ZX SFP for Long-Reach Single-Mode Fibers - link lengths up to 70km.

Use Dual-rate Optical Transceivers for Long-Reach Fiber Network Applications

The dual-rate fiber SFP is interoperable with the IEEE 100BASE-LX and 1000BASE-LX/LH standards. In a dual-fiber single network configuration, it takes a group of fiber optic transceivers to achieve the desired electrical signal and light signal. When fiber optic transceivers are arranged in a group, they may exchange electrical signals and light signals. Fiber optic transceiver ports can be configured in adaptive mode.

Use 1000BASE-BX10 SFPs for Single-Fiber Bidirectional Applications

As we known, the 1000BASE-BX-D and 1000BASE-BX-U SFPs, compatible with the IEEE 802.3ah 1000BASE-BX10-D and 1000BASE-BX10-U standards, operate on a single strand of standard SMF. The1000Base-BX10 specification provides single-mode, single fiber support at a signaling speed of 1250 Mbps for a span of 10 km or greater depending on fiber type. The two wavelength ranges employed are:

• Downlink at 1480 to 1500 nm
• Uplink at 1260 to 1360 nm

Fiber optic transceivers are used in a variety of applications. One of the most important attributes of fiber optic transceivers is their ability to be compatible in a variety of communications applications. Most manufacturers choose them over and over because they fit in a small footprint, and they are reliable. In FS.COM, fiber optic transceivers in all form factors, from 100 Mbps to 100 Gbps are fully compliant to MSA and IEEE 802.3 standards. For instance, HP J4858C compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP transceiver is supported on a wide range of HP equipment and has the same performance with the originally branded optics. We code and test each of our optics in our test center to guarantee the high compatibility and performance.

HP 1000BASE SFP Transceivers Overview

SFP (small form-factor pluggable) is a specification for a new generation of optical transceivers. The SFP transceiver is a compact and hot-pluggable modules used for both telecommunication and data communications applications. SFP is a popular industry format jointly developed and supported by many network component vendors. HP, as a leading provider of optical network equipment, provides various SFP modules for your Gigabit Ethernet applications. This post will give you some detailed information about HP 1000BASE SFP transceivers.

Introduction to HP SFP

HP SFP is a Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) standard for high speed application. The devices are designed for use with small form factor (SFF) connectors, and offer high speed and physical compactness. HP SFP transceivers are electrically hot-pluggable, which enables them to be easily interchanged, so electro-optical or fiber optic networks can be upgraded and maintained more conveniently than has been the case with traditional soldered-in modules. Rather than replacing an entire circuit board containing several soldered-in modules, a single module can be removed and replaced for repair or upgrading. This can result in a substantial cost savings, both in maintenance and in upgrading efforts. All HP SFP transceivers are well tested on HP switch to ensure optimal signal integrity and the best end-to-end performance.

Types of HP 1000BASE SFP Transceivers

There is a number of HP 1000BASE SFP optics that are available depending on the customer application and distance capability required. Each optical interface operates and is managed like a fixed port but gives the customer flexibility to hotswap or interchange to different optical module types. In this part, two different kinds of HP 1000BASE SFP transceivers will be introduced.

• HP 1000BASE-LX SFP: HP 1000BASE-LX SFP transceiver, like HP J4859C, is specified to work over a distance of up to 10km over single mode fiber and it can also run over all common types of multi mode fiber with a maximum segment length of 550m. For link distances greater than 300m, you must install a mode-conditioning patch cord between the transceiver and the MMF cable on both ends of the link.
• HP 1000BASE-SX SFP: HP 1000BASE-SX SFP transceiver, like HP JD118B, is compatible with the IEEE 802.3z standard and operates multi-mode fibers link up to 550 m. HP 1000BASE-SX SFP transceiver module consists of three sections: a VCSEL laser transmitter, a PIN photodiode integrated with a trans-impedance preamplifier (TIA) and MCU control unit. It is often applied for Fibre Channel links, Gigabit Ethernet links, Fast Ethernet links, etc.

Applications of HP 1000BASE SFP Transceivers

HP SFP Transceivers are designed to support SONET, gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other communications standards. Storage interface cards, also called HBAs or Fibre Channel storage switches, also make use of these modules, supporting different speeds such as 2Gb, 4Gb, and 8Gb. Because of their low cost, low profile, and ability to provide a connection to different types of optical fiber, SFP provides such equipment with enhanced flexibility.

Conclusion

As a professional manufacturer and supplier for optical fiber products, FS.COM provides a wide range of compatible SFP transceivers branded by many famous companies, like Cisco, HP, Juniper, and Brocade. All these fiber transceivers are 100% compatible with major brands like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Nortel, Force10, D-link, 3Com, etc. Besides, these 1000BASE SFP transceivers are with high quality and backed by a lifetime warranty.

Direct Attach Cables for Data Center Interconnection

Direct attach cables are gaining more and more popularity among data center operators, for they use the same port as optical transceivers but with significant cost savings and power savings in short reach applications. These cable assemblies are mainly utilized to support high transmission rates between servers, switches and storage devices in data centers. This article will focus on the types and usage of direct attach cable assemblies for data center interconnection.

Types of Direct Attach Cable

According to the transceiver-style terminated on the end of the direct attach cables assemblies, they have these categories: SFP+ cable, SFP28 cable, QSFP+ cable, QSFP28 cable, etc. Using the same port as transceiver optics, direct attach cables can support Ethernet, Infiniband and Fibre Channel but with independent protocols. In general, direct attach cable assemblies are divided into three families—direct attach passive copper cable, direct attach active copper cable and active optical cable (AOC).

• Passive Direct Attach Copper Cable Passive direct attach copper cables are without active circuitry component. They can achieve interconnections up to 7m at 10 Gbps or 40 Gbps with low power. Direct attach passive copper cable assemblies offer high-speed connectivity between equipment. They are compatible with hubs, switches, routers, servers, and network interface cards (NICs) from leading electronics manufacturers like Cisco, Juniper, etc.
• Active Direct Attach Copper Cable Active copper cables are designed in the same cable type as the passive one, but they contain low power circuitry in the connector to boost the signal and are driven from the port without additional power requirements. The active version provides a low cost alternative to optical transceivers, and are generally used for end of row or middle of row data center architectures for interconnect distances of up to 15 meters.
• Active Optical Cable Active optical cable (AOC) incorporates active electrical and optical components. It can achieve longer distance than the copper assemblies. In general, active optical cable can reach more than 100m via multimode fiber. Compared to direct attach copper cable, AOC (eg. Cisco SFP-10G-AOC10M) weighs less and can support longer transmission distance. It is immune to electromagnetic energy since the optical fiber is dielectric (not able to conduct electric current). And it is an alternative to optical transceivers and it can eliminate the separable interface between transceiver module and optical cable. However, it costs more than copper cable.

In addition, with the fan-out technology, both direct attach copper cable and active optical cable can be designed as breakout direct attach cable assemblies, like 40G QSFP+ to 4x10G SFP+ AOC, which can better satisfy the demands on network migration.

Direct Attach Cables for Data Center Interconnection

Direct attach cable assemblies are ideal choices for short-reach direct connection applications. Generally, they are used in the EDA (Equipment Distribution Area) where cabinets and racks house end equipment (servers) and where horizontal cabling from the HDA (Horizontal Distribution Area) are terminated at patch panels.

For interconnection in racks and between rows of racks, direct attach cable assemblies are used to connect server to switch, storage to switch or switch to switch. Depending on different interconnect applications and distance requirements, direct attach copper cables, passive or active, active optical cable, or breakout direct attach cable assemblies with various length options can be used.

Conclusion

Different types of DAC assemblies have different applications. For example, the 10G SFP+ DACs are commonly used in interconnect applications below 15m, such as server to switch or storage to switch interconnection in the same rack. And now 25GbE is popular and 25G direct attach cable assemblies, such as SFP28 DACs, are already available in the market. For 40GbE, 40G QSFP+ DACs and AOCs are used. Of course, higher speed and more bandwidth are needed for spine switches. Thus, 100G DACs, like QSFP28 DACs are used in this case.