Guide to High-Speed Copper Transceivers

The last few decades have seen the broad adoption of fiber optic transceivers used in optical communications for both telecommunication and data communications applications. However, would the copper connectivity withdraw from the market? Copper medium usually doesn’t require any transceivers, as they are part of the interface module. However, in order to cut down expenditures, some vendors use SFP copper transceiver with an RJ-45 female connector for Gigabit Ethernet connectivity over copper medium, or XFP copper transceiver for 10Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) connectivity over CX4 copper. This article will give you a complete guide to these copper transceivers.

Supporting 10/100/1000 Mbps data-rate in excess of 100 meters (325 feet) reach over UTP Category5/5e cables, copper transceiver module is ideally suited for implementing small form-factor Network Interface Cards (NICs) and uplinks. As such, it is highly appropriate for use in high-density applications such as LAN 1000BASE-T, switch-to-switch interfaces, switched backplanes, blade servers, gaming devices, and router/server interfaces.

With the development of 1000BASE-T technology, 1000BASE-T and 100BASE-TX copper SFP transceiver over Category 5 copper cabling is an attractive option for network. The advantages are listed as follows:

• For 100m reach over Cat 5 UTP cable
• Hot-pluggable SFP footprint
• Supports RX_LOS as link indication function
• Fully metallic enclosure for low EMI
• Low power dissipation (1.05 W typical)
• Compact RJ-45 connector assembly
• Compliant with SFP MSA and IEEE Std 802.3-2002

Here are two good examples of 1000BASE-T copper SFP transceivers, the Finisar FCLF-8521-3 compatible 1000BASE-T SFP copper transceiver and HP J8177C compatible 1000BASE-T SFP copper transceiver from FS.COM. Both of them are designed for 100m reach over Cat 5 UTP cable with RJ-45 interface and support max data rate of 1000Mbps.

As a kind of copper XFP transceiver, the XFP 10GBASE-CX4 module uses a CX4 connector to provide a connection to up to 15 meters over CX4 grade copper cable. Transparently to the user, the module transfers the 10GbE data stream over four full-duplex 3.125 Gbps channels over a single parallel copper cable. The product offers the ability to scale bandwidth in 10G increments, and directly with the industry standard MDI electrical socket.

CX4 is an extension of the four-channel 10 Gbps XAUI interface and is available in 70-pin MSA transponder modules, otherwise known as Xenpak, XPAK and X2. The 10GBASE-CX4 solution employs an Infiniband-style Twin-AX cable (click to see the Cisco 10G twinax). In this case, eight 100-ohm differential Twin-AX cables are bundled into a single outer shield. The center conductors are 24 AWG wire for compatibility with printed circuit board termination inside the connector housing. The limitation of the 10GBASE-CX4 solution is that it requires a 70-pin MSA socket and only supports the IEEE802.3ae 10GE data format.

The XFP format also offers the distinct feature of being data agnostic, which opens the market for the copper based solution to telecommunications applications as well. The 10 Gbps serial solution over copper adds the final link option to the XFP industry, offering everything from the ultra low-cost sub-20m 10 Gbps shelf-to-shelf and rack-to-rack links to 80 km or longer optical links.

Among the above-mentioned copper transceivers, what must be noticed is that copper SFP transceiver offers a flexible and simple method to be installed into SFP MSA compliant ports at any time with no interruption of the host equipment operation. It enables for seamless integration of fiber with copper LAN connections wherever SFP interface slots can be found. Such system is economical, it saves time, offers flexibility and eliminates the necessity for replacing entire devices once the customers have to change or upgrade fiber connections and you will benefit so much from it.

1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet Over Category 5 Copper Cabling

1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet over Category 5 copper cabling is an attractive option for network managers for several reasons. It addresses the exploding bandwidth requirements on current networks that are the result of implementation of new applications and the increasing deployment of switching at the edges of the network. Gigabit Ethernet leverages the organization’s existing investment in Ethernet and Fast Ethernet infrastructures, and it provides a simple, cost-effective performance boost while continuing to use the dominant horizontal/floor-cabling medium.

1000BASE-T Key Specifications

1000BASE-T is specified to run over four pairs of Category 5 balanced cabling. The 1000BASE-T standard leverages the existing cable infrastructure as it is specified to operate up to 100 meters on Category 5 cabling. The other key specifications of 1000BASE-T make it a cost-effective, non-disruptive, and high-performing technology. First, it supports the Ethernet MAC, and is thus backward compatible with a 10/100 Mbps Ethernet. Second, many 1000BASE-T products will support 100/1000 auto-negotiation, and therefore 1000BASE-T can be incrementally deployed in a Fast Ethernet network. Third, 1000BASE-T is a high-performing technology with less than one erroneous bit in 10 billion transmitted bits. This bit error rate of less than 10 – 10 is the same error rate as that of 100BASE-T.

Why 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet Over Category 5 Copper Cabling?

• Exploding bandwidth requirements

New bandwidth-intensive applications are being deployed over Ethernet and Fast Ethernet networks. These applications include the following:
Internet and intranet applications that create any-to-any traffic patterns with servers distributed across the enterprise, and users accessing web sites inside and outside the corporate network; these applications tend to make traffic patterns and bandwidth requirements increasingly unpredictable. Data warehousing and backup applications that handle gigabytes or terabytes of data distributed among hundreds of servers and storage systems. Bandwidth-intensive, latency-sensitive groupware applications, such as desktop video conferencing or interactive whiteboarding.

• Significant investment in Ethernet/Fast Ethernet infrastructure

Ethernet is the dominant, ubiquitous LAN technology. According to industry analyst International Data Corporation (IDC) in Framingham, MA, more than 85 percent of all installed network connections were Ethernet at the end of 1997, representing more than 118 million interconnected PCs, workstations, and servers. The deployment of Ethernet/Fast Ethernet networks involves investment in network interface cards (NICs), hubs, and switches, as well as in-network management capabilities, staff training and skills, and cabling infrastructure.

• A simple, cost-effective performance boost on existing Category 5 cabling

1000BASE-T offers a simple, cost-effective migration of Ethernet/Fast Ethernet networks toward high-speed networking and also has the following benefits:
1000BASE-T scales Ethernet 10/100 Mbps performance to 1000 Mbps. 1000BASE-T is the most cost-effective, high-speed networking technology available now. 1000BASE-T leverages existing, proven Fast Ethernet and V.90/56K modem technologies and will experience the same cost curve as the Ethernet/Fast Ethernet technologies. 1000BASE-T is significantly more cost-efficient than 1000BASE-SX (Fiber Gigabit) among all LAN technologies. 1000BASE-T preserves Ethernet equipment and infrastructure investments, including the investment in the installed Category 5 cabling infrastructure. There is no need to undergo the timeconsuming and high-cost task of replacing cabling located in walls, ceilings, or raised floors.

Fiberstore 1000BASE-T Copper SFP Transceiver

Fiberstore’s 1000BASE-T copper small form pluggable (SFP) transceivers are based on the SFP Multi Source Agreement (MSA). They are compatible with the Gigabit Ethernet and 1000BASE-T standards as specified in IEEE Std 802.3. For instance, HP J8177C X121 compatible 1000BASE-T SFP copper RJ45 transceiver for 100m reach over Cat 5 UTP cable uses the SFP’s RX_LOS pin for link indication and supports 1000BASE-T operation on the host system. Another example is Brocade XBR-000190 compatible 1000BASE-TX SFP copper RJ45 transceiver which offers the same function with Brocade E1MG-TX/XBR-000190 and fully compatible with Brocade devices.

Three Different Types of Transceivers

There are numerous types of transceivers available that can be used in a variety of applications including radio applications and telecommunications applications. Different specifications and designs are employed to meet the changing needs of designers. This article will introduce three primary types of transceivers used in today’s telecommunication systems.

SFP Transceiver

The small form-factor pluggable (SFP) is a compact and hot-pluggable transceiver used for both telecommunication and data communications applications. The form factor and electrical interface are specified by a multi-source agreement (MSA). It interfaces a network device motherboard (for a switch, router, media converter or similar device) to a fiber optic or copper networking cable. SFP was one of the most popular versions of transceivers until the enhanced version was introduced. Select the SFP devices for the best results.

Fiberstore’s SFP transceivers are available for designers to use in a variety of applications. These transceivers come in a variety of transmitter and receiver types. Users can select an appropriate transceiver by reviewing several different categories. Some common categories include: copper and fiber, single-mode and multi-mode, SX (transmits up to 550m at 1.25 Gb/s), LX (transmits up to 10 km), and BX (transmits up to 10 km). For example, HP J8177C compatible 1000BASE-T SFP copper transceiver is high performance and cost-effective transceiver for 100m distance over Cat 5 UTP cable.

SFP+ Transceiver

The enhanced small form-factor pluggable (SFP+) is an enhanced version of SFP and is designed to support data rates up to 10 Gbit/s. SFP+ was designed to have higher port density compared to SFP. The SFP+ specification was first published on May 9, 2006, and version 4.1 published on July 6, 2009. SFP+ supports 8Gbit/s Fiber Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and Optical Transport Network standard OTU2. The SFP+ product family includes cages, connectors, and copper cable assemblies. The SFP+ transceiver modules are specified for 8Gbps/10Gbps/16Gbps Fiber Channel and 10-Gigabit Ethernet applications. In addition, they have the ability to connect to a variety of different types of optical fiber and are highly flexible. That’s why they are so desirable to designers.

XFP Transceiver

XFP transceiver is a hot-pluggable and protocol-independent 10 Gbit/s optical transceiver designed to help drive cost and power consumption out of 10 Gbit/s optical networking applications. This particular XFP specification was developed by the XFP Multi-Source Agreement Group. XFP transceivers are capable of operating at wavelengths of 850 nm, 1310 nm, and 1550 nm. They are capable of operating at a single wavelength or through the use of dense wavelength-division multiplexing techniques.

There are a variety of transceiver types available, but the most popular ones include: SR (850 nm and can transmit up to 300 m), LR, ER, and ZR. LR is 1310 nm and can transmit distances up to 10 km. For example, Juniper XFP-10G-L-OC192-SR1 compatible 10GBASE-LR XFP transceiver from Fiberstore operates at a wavelength of 1310 nm at up to 10km links. ER is characterized by 1550 nm and can transmit distances of 40 km. ZR can transmit distances up to 80 km. Designers prefer to use XFP packaging because it has a smaller footprint than other devices.

Choose the Best Transceiver for Your Design

There are also other types of transceivers apart from the above-mentioned. Since there are so many types of transceivers, try to find the best transceiver for your design and applications. When the design is optimized, everything seems to fall into place for the end user. The reliability of your design will improve, and your end-user will reap the benefits of a system that will stand the test of time and the rigors of a stressful environment.

How to Install and Remove SFP Transceivers

The small form-factor pluggable (SFP) is a compact, hot-pluggable transceiver used for telecommunication and data communications. The form factor and electrical interface are specified by a multi-source agreement (MSA). It interfaces a network device motherboard (for a switch, router, media converter or similar device) to a fiber optic or copper networking cable. SFP transceivers can support SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and other communications standards. SFP transceivers are upgraded from the traditional version with more flexibility but a smaller size.

Sometimes you may encounter the affairs like installing or removing fiber-optic SFP modules with cables attached. In fact, this is wrong. Because that way may cause damage to the cables, the cable connector, or the optical interfaces in the SFP module. Disconnect all cables before removing or installing an SFP module. Followings are some tips when installing and removing SFP transceivers.

Installing SFP Transceivers

The following steps tell how to install SFP transceivers:
1. Attach an ESD-preventive wrist strap to your wrist and to the ESD ground connector or a bare metal surface on your chassis. SFP modules are static sensitive. Wear an ESD-preventive wrist strap so that it can prevent ESD damage.
2. Remove the dust cap and save for future use.
3. Insert the SFP module into the socket. The orientation of an SFP module within a switch varies according to the SFP module port. Be sure that the SFP module is in the right position before inserting.
4. Observe the LED. If the LED turns green, it means the transceiver and the device establishes link successfully. While if the LED is off, there may be an installing problem with the adapter.

Removing SFP Transceivers

To remove a SFP transceiver (see the picture), you should the following procedures  keep in mind:
1. Attach an ESD-preventive wrist strap to your wrist and to a bare metal surface on the chassis.
2. Disconnect the network cable from the SFP transceiver.
3. Remove the SFP transceiver carefully from the module slot.
4. Place the removed the SFP module in a static shielding bag.

In addition, to connect 1000BASE-T SFP transceiver modules (such as HP J8177C SFP transceiver) to a copper network, follow these substeps: insert the Category 5 network cable RJ-45 connector into the SFP transceiver module RJ-45 connector. And then insert the other end of the network cable into an RJ-45 connector on a 1000BASE-T compatible target device. When connecting to a 1000BASE-T-compatible server, workstation, or router, use four twisted-pair, straight-through Category 5 cabling for the SFP transceiver module port.  

Do not remove the dust plugs from the fiber-optic SFP module port or the rubber caps from the fiber-optic cable until you are ready to connect the cable. The plugs and caps protect the SFP module ports and cables from contamination and ambient light.

The above is about the installation and removing of a SFP transceiver. But keep in mind that removing and installing an SFP module can shorten its useful life. Therefore, do not remove and insert SFP modules more often than is absolutely necessary.

1000BASE-T vs 1000BASE-TX

The development of Gigabit Ethernet standards resulted in specifications for UTP copper, single-mode fiber, and multimode fiber. Since Gigabit Ethernet allows transmission speeds of up to 1000Mbps over twisted pair, IEEE 802.3ab defines the 1000BASE-T interface type which uses 4D-PAM5 line encoding to obtain 1 Gbps data throughput. 1000BASE refers to a Gigabit Ethernet connection that uses the unfiltered cable for transmission. “T” means twisted-pair cable (e.g. the common Cat5 in use today).

1000BASE-T

1000Base-T is a type of gigabit Ethernet networking technology that uses copper cables as a medium. 1000Base-T uses four pairs of Category 5 unshielded twisted pair cables to achieve gigabit data rates. The standard is designated as IEEE 802.3ab and allows 1 Gbps data transfers for distances of up to 330 feet.

1000Base-T came into wide use in 1999, gradually replacing fast Ethernet for wired local networks simply because it was 10 times as fast. Equipment and cables are very similar to previous Ethernet standards and by 2011 were very common and economical. These were the biggest factors that ensured this standard's wide acceptance. 1000Base-T can be used in data centers for fast server switching or in desktop PCs for broadband applications. The biggest advantage of 1000Base-T is that it can use existing copper cabling, negating the need to rewire the system with newer optical fiber cables.

1000BASE-TX

This is a variation of the 1000BASE-T standard. Unlike 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-TX uses just two of the four pairs in a Cat6 or Cast7 UTP cable. 1000BASE-TX supports full-duplex transmission with a range of up to 100 meters. Because only two of the four pairs are used, Cat6 and Cat7 UTP can support two 1000BASE TX links on the same cable. 1000BASE-TX networks connected with Cat6 UTP cabling are used in Gigabit Ethernet applications that require larger bandwidth than 1000Mbps, such as multimedia content development and streaming, videoconferencing, highly available data centers, and distribution layer cabling. The 1000BASE-TX standard provides a total bandwidth of 2000Mbps using two 1000BASE TX links on the same Cat6 or Cat7 UTP cable.

1000BASE-T vs 1000BASE-TX

The main advantage of 1000BASE-T over 1000BASE-TX is obviously the increased bandwidth. Note that although Cat5 UTP supports 1000BASE-T, Cat5e is recommended because the enhanced Cat5e UTP adds specifications for far-end crosstalk.

At present, 1000BASE-T is more commonly used with the lower cost of Cat 5 cabling. However, the design of 1000Base-TX does not require hybrids, nor does it necessitate echo cancellation. Consequently, the design of 1000Base-TX allows for its electronics to be much less expensive than comparable 1000Base-T electronics. So, which is better? It must depend on the plan, budget and application of your project.

Fiber Large 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-TX Solution

As the main fiber optics manufacturer in China, Fiberstore supplies a wide range of 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-TX optical transceiver modules, including HP J8177C compatible 1000BASE-T SFP transceiver, Juniper EX-SFP-1GE-T compatible 1000BASE-T, Brocade XBR-000190 compatible 1000BASE-TX SFP transceiver, etc. They offer customers high-performance and cost-effective optical fiber products to fulfill their requirements, contributing this way to the customer's success and satisfaction.

HP SFP Transceiver vs Third-Party SFP Transceiver

In order to cut down the costs on the expensive SFP transceiver modules, many users are seeking for a compatible SFP to use. For example, if your network contains HP routers, firewalls, and switches, you might think that only HP SFP branded transceivers will ensure your equipment functions optimally. However, that seemingly reasonable assumption could cost your company thousands of dollars. Compared to the compatible SFP transceiver produced by third-party companies, HP SFP transceiver comes with dramatically inflated price tags while a third-party compatible one is roughly 80 percent less expensive than HP branded SFP transceiver. Although price isn't everything, it's important to know that you're getting your money's worth. That calls for a comparison of what HP SFP transceiver has to offer next to a third-party compatible one.

Performance

Many people worry that the performance of a third-party compatible SFP is not as good as HP SFP. In fact, HP's own branded SFP transceivers aren't the only ones that work well with their other devices. Compatible third-party SFP transceivers are designed with the specifications of HP technology and function smoothly but have no problem with HP devices such as switches, firewalls, and routers. For example, the following JD092B compatible SFP transceiver provided by Fiberstore offers the same function with HP JD092B and it is fully compatible with HP devices. So you needn’t necessarily buy HP branded SFP transceiver to run your system without glitches or snags.  

Failure Rates

Price implies reliability, is it always true? When you pay more for a product, you must expect that higher cost has some added benefits attached. But it is not always the case. Sometimes you're just paying for the brand name. Third-party compatible SFP transceivers often have lower rates of failure than branded HP SFP transceivers, which makes them more reliable but with less money.

Warranty

HP offers a one-year warranty on their branded optical products, plus whatever coverage may be offered under your service contract, for which you must pay separately and these service contracts don't come cheap. But if you have a lot of experience in shopping around, you'll find that many third-party manufacturers of compatible SFP transceivers and resellers even offer significantly better guarantees. It's not hard to find a lifetime warranty for your compatible optical products.

Availability

Time is money. Everyone prefers to get products earlier rather than later. The last thing you concern when trying to construct or upgrade your network is to find out that the SFP transceivers you have paid are on backorder. That kind of situation often happens when you rely on a single brand for the products you need. Expanding your search to a third-party compatible one can make it easier to get your network up and running faster without having to wait for the parts to be restocked.

If you're still hesitant about trying a third-party compatible SFP transceiver, the best way to ensure that you're getting a reliable product at a good deal is to choose a vendor you trust, one with a proven track record of quality products and great customer service. HP compatible SFP transceivers offered by Fiberstore are fully compatible with HP switches & routers. These SFP modules can be mixed and deployed with genuine HP SFP transceivers for seamless network performance and interoperability. We provide a series of HP compatible SFP transceivers as equivalent to J9151A, JD092B, J8177C, J4859B, etc.