Taking for you to understand SFP connector

Author：danny / time：2020-11-11 / The number of clicks：559

When you ask for gigabit optical module in the market, they are mostly SFP connectors. But there is optical fiber module such as GBIC. They might seem similar, but they have different applications and connections. We will briefly introduce and compare these two connectors here.

 

            GBIC connector vs. SFP connector

            GBIC (short for Giga Bitrate Interface Converter) is an interchangeable product with international standard. It adopts SC connection port and is widely applied in the 90’s. Machines that adopted GBIC connection had a great market share at the time due to its flexibility. In recent years, a smaller sized SFP transceiver has gradually replaced GBIC.

            SFP (short for Small Form-Factor Pluggable) adopts LC connector. The function is basically similar to the GBIC connector; therefore, some manufacturers would refer to it as the MINI-GBIC. We can also consider it as an upgrade of GBIC. The outer case is half the size of GBIC, so it can have twice as many adapters on the same panel. It is also the most common transceiver in the market.

            SFP optical module can be classified by the “rate” and “wavelength”:

            Rate: there are 155M/622M/1.25G/2.125G/4.25G/8G/10G. Among them, 155M and 1.25G are the most widely used ones.

            Wavelength: there are 850nm/1310nm/1550nm/1490nm/1530nm/1610nm. 850nm is SFP multimode. Its transmission distance is below 2KM. 1310nm/1550n are monomode. Its transmission distance is above 2KM. The prices for these three wavelengths are cheaper than the other three.

 

A simple comparison between GBIC and SFC connectors are summarized as follows:

	GBIC connector	SFP connector
Name in English	Giga Bitrate Interface Converter	Small Form-Factor Pluggable
Size	SFP connector is half the size of GBIC, which can create twice as many adapters on the same panel.
Application	Often used on routers, switches, transceivers, optical transceivers, etc.
Function	Basically the same.
Feature	Hot plugging with flexibility.
Advantage	SFP connector has Digital Diagnostics Monitoring (DDM). It has gradually replaced GBIC due to its low cost, reduced outer case size, and high reliability.
Market Trend	Widely used in the 20th century	21st century
Connector	SC optical fiber connector	LC optical fiber connector
Switch Socket	GBIC socket	SFP socket
Related Product	Gradually replaced by SFP	SFP+, XFP, FP electric port module, GLC-SX-MM SFP, GLC-LH-SM SFP, GLC-LH-SM-40 SFP, GLC-ZX-SM SFP

 

            After reading the introduction and comparison above, do you now have a more specific understanding of GBIC connectors and SFP connectors? Actually, SFP connectors are invaluable in our daily life. Things like our fiber optic TV box and cable are all connected by many big and small connectors with one another. In addition, once you have a basic understanding of SFP connectors, you can choose a suitable connector with a different wavelength and rate to greatly reduce cost and speed up the network connection.