flexOptix - The Transceiver Specialists

› Transceiver Technology - Standards & history

Transceiver Technology - Standards & history


Logo Transceiver Standard - MSA


Pluggable transceivers have, due to their flexibility, widely replaced fixed network interfaces. Soldered copper as well as optical units have been substituted by small MSA standardized cages.

Applications:

  • Storage-Networks with (10) Gigabit FibreChannel or (10) Gigabit Ethernet
  • IP-Netzwerke with Fast respectively (10) Gigabit Ethernet
  • SDH and SONET based networks
  • High bitrate CWDM and DWDM networks
  • Flexible Media-Converters/Modem/Multiplexer- und Crossconnect Solutions with Transceiver-Modulslots

SFP - Small Form-factor Pluggable (Mini-GBIC)

Having the Small-Formfactor-Pluggable (SFP) superseding the the older GBIC made it finally possible to circumvent limitations in size and amount of supported applications while still offering a pluggable connection style. The biggest visible improvement is the size reduction of approximately 50% which is why SFPs are also known under the name Mini-GBIC.




SFP+ / SFP Plus - The compatc one for 10 Gigabit

The SFP+ / SFP Plus format is recently the smallest pluggable transceiver format for 10 Gigabit applications. Similarly to the XFP-format a single series circuit is used. The focus of the SFP+ is on 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 8/10 Gigabit FibreChannel applications and SDH / SONET data. Distances of up to 80km are availabel.

Applications:
  • Mainly Datacom with 10 Gigabit-Ethernet und 10 Gigabit Fibrechannel
  • Router + Switche


XFP - 10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable

Like for most developments in the pluggable transceiver realm the driving forces behind the XFP specification were the demands for smaller size and a wider range of uses. That's why the complex XAUI interface has been replaced by a single serial 10Gb/s channel. This simplification allowed a remarkable decrease in size.

Applications:
  • Datacom and Telecom with 10 Gigabit-Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Fibrechannel, SDH
  • Router + Switches + Multiplexer + Converter


GBIC - GigaBit-Interface-Converter

The GigaBit-Interface-Converter (GBIC) was designed at the end of the 90s. Originally it was used for storage systems, but it established fast as the standard interface for fibre channel switches.

Applications:
  • Mainly Datacom with Gigabit-Ethernet and Gigabit-FibreChannel
  • Router + Switches