Sfp sfp+ difference

 
Nowadays, there are many specifications of fiber optic transceivers available in the market, such as SFP, SFP+,so on. So how do you choose between them? This article will introduce their differences to you.
 
Certainly, SFP and SFP+ are both types of optical transceivers used for data communication, but they have distinct differences:

1.Data Rate:

SFP (Small Form-factor Pluggable):
SFP transceivers are mainly used for Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) and can go up to 4 Gbps. Common types include 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, and 1000BASE-LX/LH.
SFP+ (Small Form-factor Pluggable Plus):
SFP+ transceivers are an enhanced version of SFP and support data rates up to 10 Gbps. SFP+ versions include 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-LRM, etc.

2.Form Factor:

Both SFP and SFP+ share the same physical dimensions, which means that SFP+ ports can often accept SFP modules. However, the opposite isn't always true; SFP+ modules might not work correctly in SFP ports due to the higher rate.

3.Power Consumption:

SFP+ typically has lower power consumption compared to older 10G transceivers like XENPAK, X2, or XFP.

4.Protocol Support:

SFP+ can support Fibre Channel, SONET, and other communication standards, besides 10 Gigabit Ethernet.

5.Applications:

SFP:
Predominantly used in Gigabit Ethernet, 2G/4G Fibre Channel.
SFP+:
Predominantly used in 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 8G/16G Fibre Channel.

6.Cost:

Generally, SFP+ modules tend to be more expensive than SFP modules due to the higher data rate they support.

7.Backward Compatibility:

Many switches and routers with SFP+ ports allow for backward compatibility, meaning they accept both SFP and SFP+ modules (but the speed will be limited by the module).

8.Differences in Protocol Compliance:

Optical Module SFP: SFP protocol standards: IEEE802.3, SFF-8472.
Optical Module SFP+: SFP+ follows the protocols: IEEE 802.3ae, SFF-8431, SFF-8432.

9.Difference in Production Cost:

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

10.Differences in Propagation Wavelength and Distance:

Optical Module SFP: With a wavelength of 850nm for SFP multimode, its transmission distance is less than 2KM.
Optical Module SFP+: For wavelengths of 1310/1550nm which are single-mode, the transmission distance exceeds 2KM.
 
In essence, while SFP and SFP+ modules may seem similar in appearance, their capabilities and applications vary, primarily based on data rate differences.
 
 

Extended Information:

Mode Classification:

1.Multimode:

Almost all multimode optical fibers have a size of 50/125um or 62.5/125um, and their bandwidth (information transmission capacity of the fiber) usually ranges from 200MHz to 2GHz. Multimode optical transceivers can transmit up to 5 kilometers through multimode optical fiber. They use light-emitting diodes or lasers as their light source. The ring or external color is black.

2.Single-mode:

The size of a single-mode optical fiber is 9-10/125µm, and compared to multimode fibers, it has infinite bandwidth and lower loss. Single-mode optical transceivers are mostly used for long-distance transmission, sometimes reaching 150 to 200 kilometers. They use LD or LEDs with a narrow spectrum as their light source. The ring or external color is blue, yellow, or purple.

Differences and Connections:

Single-mode optical fibers are cheaper, but single-mode devices are much more expensive than their multimode counterparts. Single-mode devices can typically operate on both single-mode and multimode optical fibers, while multimode devices can only operate on multimode fibers.

The 10G module has evolved from 300Pin, XENPAK, X2, and XFP, and finally realized the transmission of 10G signals with the same size as SFP, which is SFP+. SFP, with its miniaturization and low-cost advantages, meets the high-density requirements of devices for optical modules. Since the standard was introduced in 2002, by 2010 it had replaced XFP to become the mainstream in the 10G market.

Are SFP and SFP+ compatible?

In terms of SFP vs SFP+ compatibility, SFP+ ports often accept SFP optics but at a reduced speed of 1Gbps. Be aware, however, that you cannot plug an SFP+ transceiver into an SFP port because SFP+ does not support speeds less than 1Gbps.
 

What is the difference between SFP and SFP+ 10G?

SFP and SFP+ transceivers are virtually identical in size and appearance. The primary difference is that SFP+ is an updated version that supports higher speeds up to 10Gbps. The difference in data rate also accounts for a difference in transmission distance—SFP typically has a longer transmission distance.