How Much Do You Know About 40G QSFP+ Transceiver

QSFP+ transceiver is a hot-swappable, parallel fiber-optical module with four independent optical transmit and receive channels. These channels can terminate in another 40-Gigabit QSFP transceiver, or the channels can be broken out to four separate 10-Gigabit SFP+ transceivers. For instance, QSFP-40G-SR provides four channels of data in one pluggable interface and each channel is capable of transferring data at 10 Gbps and supports a total of 40 Gbps. It uses 38 position connector and Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) plugs are offered for empty ports to interface networking hardware to a fiber optic cable. The QSFP product family includes cages in single and ganged configurations with various heat sink and lightpipe options.

Features and Benefits:

• Support for 40GBASE Ethernet
• Hot-swappable input/output device that plugs into a 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ Cisco switch port
• Flexibility of interface choice
• Interoperable with other IEEE-compliant 40GBASE interfaces available in various form factors
• Support for “pay-as-you-populate” model
• Support for the Cisco quality identification (ID) feature which enables a Cisco switch to identify whether the module is certified and tested by Cisco.

The QSFP+ transceiver link length for either 40 Gigabit Ethernet or high density 10 Gigabit Ethernet application is up to 100 m using OM3 fiber or 150 m using OM4 fiber. These modules are designed to operate over multimode fiber systems using a nominal wavelength of 850nm. The electrical interface uses a 38 contact edge type connector. The optical interface uses an 8 or 12 fiber MTP (MPO) connector.

The 40G QSFP+ transceiver module integrates 4 independent 10 gigabit per second data lanes in each direction to provide 40Gbps aggregate bandwidth. 40GBASE QSFP+ modules offer customers a wide variety of high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, high-performance computing networks, enterprise core and distribution layers, and service provider transport applications. The QSFP+ transceiver module connects the electrical circuitry of the system with either a copper or an optical external network. The transceiver is used primarily in short reach applications in switches, routers, and data center equipment where it provides higher density than SFP+ modules.

The QSFP specification supports Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand and SONET/SDH standards with different data rate options. QSFP+ transceivers are designed to support Serial Attached SCSI, 40G Ethernet, 20G/40G Infiniband, and other communications standards. QSFP modules increase the port-density by nearly 3x when compared to SFP module. The QSFP transceiver include 40GBASE-SR4 and 40GBASE-LR4 for different applications.

40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver supports link lengths of 100 meters and 150 meters, respectively, on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multimode fibers. While 40GBASE-LR4 QSFP+ transceiver supports link lengths of up to 10 kilometers over a standard pair of G.652 single-mode fiber with duplex LC connectors. For example, HP JH232A compatible 40GBASE-LR4 QSFP+ transceiver from Fiberstore supports link lengths of 10km on single mode fiber cable, at a wavelength of 1310nm. It primarily enables high-bandwidth 40G optical links with duplex LC connectors and can also be used in a 4x10G module for interoperability with 10GBASE-LR interfaces.  

Fiberstore provides a full range of 40G QSFP+ transceivers including single-mode and multi-mode with different channels and wavelengths. In addition to 40Gbps Ethernet interconnects, they can be used in switches, routers, as well as data aggregation and backplane applications. All these fiber optic transceivers are 100% compatible with major brands like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Nortel, Force10, D-link, 3Com. They are backed by a lifetime warranty, and you can buy with confidence. We also can customize optical transceivers to fit your specific requirements.

40GBASE-SR4 QSFP + Transceiver Overview

QSFP+ interfaces a network device motherboard (for a switch, router, media converter or similar device) to a fiber optic cable. It is an industry format jointly developed and supported by many network component vendors, supporting data rates from 4x10 Gbit/s. The 40GBASE QSFP+ modules offer customers a wide variety of high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, high-performance computing networks, enterprise core and distribution layers, and service provider transport applications.

The IEEE 802.3ba committee ratified the 40 Gigabit Ethernet standard and along with the general specification, defined a number of fiber optic interfaces. The 40G QSFP+ standard interfaces include QSFP-40G-SR4, QSFP-40G-CSR4, QSFP-40GE-LR4, etc. The following part will mainly introduce the 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver.

Specifications of 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP + Transceiver

The 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver modules support link lengths of 100m and 150m respectively on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multimode fibers. It primarily enables high-bandwidth 40G optical links over 12-fiber parallel fiber terminated with MPO/MTP multifiber connectors. And also, it can be used in a 4 x 10G mode for interoperability with 10GBASE-SR interfaces up to 100m and 150m on OM3 and OM4 fibers respectively. The worry-free 4 x 10G mode operation is enabled by the optimization of the transmit and receive optical characteristics of the QSFP-40G-SR4 to prevent receiver overload or unnecessary triggering of alarm thresholds on the 10GBASE-SR receiver, at the same time being fully interoperable with all standard 40GBASE-SR4 interfaces. The 4 x 10G connectivity is achieved by using an external 12-fiber parallel to 2-fiber duplex breakout cable, which connects the 40GBASE-SR4 module to four 10GBASE-SR optical interfaces. Below is a picture of 40GBASE-SR4 QSFP+ transceiver.

Comparison Between QSFP-40G-SR4 and QSFP-40G-CSR4

40GBASE-CSR4 QSFP modules extend the reach of the IEEE 40GBASE-SR4 interface to 300 and 400 meters on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multimode parallel fiber, respectively. 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 parallel cables with MPO/MTP female connectors or in a 4x10G mode with parallel to duplex fiber breakout cables for connectivity to four 10GBASE-SR interfaces. Cisco compatible QSFP-40G-CSR4 transceiver from Fiberstore is optimized to guarantee interoperability over the complete specification range of 10GBASE-SR.

Fiberstore 40G QSFP + Solutions

As the leading and professional supplier in the optical communication industry, Fiberstore offers high quality 40G QSFP+ transceivers including 40GB-LR4-QSFP, QSFP-40G-CSR4, QSFP-40G-PLR4, QSFP-40G-SR4, etc. All these transceivers are 100% compatible with major brands like Cisco, HP, Juniper, Nortel, Force10, D-link, 3Com. If you’re connecting an optical jumper cable from the 40G QSFP+ transceiver module in a switch port straight to a server interface, you’ll need a brief cable using the correct cable connectors on each side. If you’re connecting a 40G QSFP+ transceiver module in a switch port to an optical connector termination for your data center or cabling closet, it will require a cable with different types of optical connectors on both ends.

QSFP Transceiver Overview

In order to find a cost effective way to increase date rate, multiple communications companies announced the release of a quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP) optical module specification in its final form in December 4, 2006. The QSFP specification defines a highly integrated four-channel optical transceiver to provide increased port density and total system cost savings when replacing four standard SFP transceiver modules. Since then, the 40GBASE QSFP module has become a dominant 40G optical transceiver and offers customers a wide variety of high-density 40 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity options for data center, high-performance computing networks, enterprise core and distribution layers, and service provider transport applications.

What Is QSFP Transceiver

QSFP transceiver module is a hot-swappable, parallel fiber-optical module with four independent optical transmit and receive channels. These channels can terminate in another 40-Gigabit QSFP transceiver, or the channels can be broken out to four separate 10-Gigabit SFP+ transceivers. For instance, QSFP-40G-SR provides four channels of data in one pluggable interface and each channel is capable of transferring data at 10 Gbps and supports a total of 40 Gbps. QSFP transceiver is an industry format jointly developed and supported by many network component vendors, allowing data rates from 4x10 Gbps. The QSFP product family includes cages in single and ganged configurations with various heat sink and lightpipe options. It uses 38 position connector and Electro Magnetic Interference (EMI) plugs are offered for empty ports to interface networking hardware to a fiber optic cable.

Advantages of QSFP Transceiver

The QSFP transceiver is designed with form factor, optical/electrical connection and digital diagnostic interface according to the QSFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA). It has been designed to meet the harshest external operating conditions including temperature, humidity and EMI interference. The module offers very high functionality and feature integration, accessible via a two-wire serial interface. The quad small-form-factor pluggable (QSFP) is a full-duplex optical module with four independent transmit and receive channels designed to replace four single-channel SFPs in a package only about 30% larger than the standard SFP. The port density is three times higher than traditional SFP designs. As a result, the QSFP transceiver offers 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, and service provider applications.

Applications of QSFP Transceiver

The QSFP specification accommodates Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand and SONET/SDH standards with different data rate options. The QSFP transceiver modules can be connected to both copper and optical cables. In the process of transmitting data, the QSFP transceiver converts parallel electrical input signals into parallel optical signals by a driven Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array. All data signals are differential and the data rate can be up to 10 Gbps per channel. As the QSFP transceivers are used to interface networking hardware to a fiber optic cable, the choice of them depends on many factors, like the transport media, the connector type, transmission distance, wavelength, etc. For example, Fiberstore provides various kinds of QSFP transceivers like Cisco QSFP-40G-ER4 compatible 40GBASE-ER4 transceiver which supports link lengths of 40 km on single-mode fiber cable at a wavelength of 1310nm.

QSFP transceivers supplied by Fiberstore 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 applications.