Sfp and sfp+ difference

SFP, SFP+ are all types of transceivers used to connect a switch or other network device to copper or fibre cable. They are most commonly used to add fibre ports. Which SFP transceiver you choose depends on the cable type, application, required optical range for the network and the desired data transmission rate.

What is an SFP?

An SFP, or small form factor pluggable, is a compact, hot-swappable transceiver designed to support 100/1000Mbps Ethernet, Fibre Channel and SONET, among other communication standards. SFP transceivers support speeds up to 4.25Gbps and are commonly used in telecommunications and data communications applications. SFP ports are found in a range of devices, from Ethernet switches to routers, NIC cards and firewalls. Small form factor pluggable specification is based on IEEE802.3 and SFF-8472.

What is SFP+

Since SFP supports only up to 4.25 Gbps, SFP+ that supports data rates up to 16 Gbps was later introduced. In fact, SFP+ is an enhanced version of the SFP. The SFP+ specifications are based on SFF-8431. In today’s most applications, SFP+ transceiver usually supports 8 Gbit/s Fibre Channel, 10 Gigabit Ethernet and Optical Transport Network standard OTU2. In comparison to earlier 10 Gigabit Ethernet XENPAK or XFP transceiver, SFP+ transceiver is smaller and becomes the most popular 10 Gigabit Ethernet transceiver in the market.

SFP vs. SFP+

Review the SFP and SFP+ definition mentioned above, we can know that the main difference between SFP and SFP+ is the data rate. And due to different data rate, the applications and transmission distance is also different.
 
The SFP and SFP+ interfaces are identical, but there are some differences between the SFP and SFP+ optical modules. Both SFP and SFP+ interfaces mostly use the LC interface. Their highest transmission rate can reach 10G and serve as devices converting Gigabit electrical signals into optical signals.
Differences between the SFP and SFP+ optical modules:

1.Parameters:

a. SFP optical module: An SFP encapsulated hot-pluggable compact module with a current highest rate of up to 10.3G and an LC interface.
b. SFP+ optical module: A hot-pluggable optical transceiver independent of the communication protocol. It typically transmits at wavelengths of 850nm, 1310nm, or 1550nm. It's used in 10Gbps SONET/SDH, fiber channels, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, and other applications, including DWDM links.

2.Communication Standards:

a. SFP optical module: IEEE802.3, SFF-8472.
b. SFP+ optical module: Supports SONET, Gigabit Ethernet, Fiber Channel, and other communication standards.

3.Wavelength:

a. SFP optical module: Classified by wavelength as 850nm/1310nm/1550nm/1490nm/1530nm/1610nm. The 850nm wavelength corresponds to the SFP multi-mode.
b. SFP+ optical module: 850nm wavelength/550m distance for MMF (SX), 1310nm wavelength/10km distance for SMF (LX), 1550nm wavelength/40km for XD, 80km for ZX, 120km for EX or EZX, and DWDM.

4.Protocols:

a. SFP optical module: SFP protocol standards: IEEE802.3, SFF-8472.
b. SFP+ optical module: SFP+ adheres to IEEE 802.3ae, SFF-8431, SFF-8432.

5.Production Cost:

The production cost of the SFP optical module is higher than that of the SFP+ optical module.

6.Additional Information:

l Are SFP and SFP+ interfaces the same?
The SFP and SFP+ interfaces are the same, but the optical modules have distinct differences.

l Is SFP Gigabit or 10 Gigabit?
Answer: Gigabit.

l Is SFP+ Gigabit or 10 Gigabit?
Answer: 10 Gigabit.

l Is the SFP port an optical port?
Answer: The SFP port is an interface that facilitates the conversion of Gigabit electrical signals to optical signals.

l Is the SFP+ port an optical port?
Answer: Yes, it's a type of port that facilitates the conversion of Gigabit electrical signals to optical signals.

l Is the SFP+ interface compatible with the SFP interface?
Answer: They are not fully compatible. While SFP and SFP+ have very similar appearances and dimensions due to differing performance and uses, they aren't entirely interchangeable. Typically, SFP+ ports can accommodate SFP modules, but SFP ports cannot support SFP+ modules.

l Can you directly insert fiber into an SFP port?
Answer: Yes.

l Can you directly insert fiber into an SFP+ port?
Answer: Yes.