LAYER 1 - Differences of Fiber Optic Transceivers (SFP vs SFP+ , SFP+ vs XFP , SFP+ vs QSFP , CFP vs QSFP)

 Differences of Fiber Optic Transceivers

Through the above definitions of each type of fiber optic transceiver module, you may have a further understanding of them. Now, we are comparing these transeiver one by one. 

SFP vs SFP+: Simple to understand, SFP+ is an update vision of SFP. SFP usually support 1.25Gbit/s to 4.25 Gbit/s while SFP+ supports data rates up to 10 Gbit/s. SFP and SFP+ have the same size and appearance, but in different standard which SFP is based on IEEE802.3 and SFF­8472. 

SFP+ vs XFP: In comparison to earlier XFP modules, SFP+ modules leave more circuitry to be implemented on the host board instead of inside the module. The size of SFP+ is smaller than XFP, thus it moves some functions to motherboard, including signal modulation function, MAC, CDR and EDC. XFP is based on the standard of XFP MSA while SFP+ is compliance with the protocol of IEEE 802.3ae, SFF­8431, SFF­8432.

SFP+ vs QSFP+: QSFP+ has four­channel SFP+ interfaces which can transfer rates up to 40Gbps. And of course they have different standards. 

CFP vs QSFP+: QSFP+ (Quad Small Form­Factor Pluggable Plus) modules offer customers a wide variety of high­density 40 Gigabit Ethernet. The CFP is a hot­pluggable transceiver module form factor that supports a wide range of 40Gb/s and 100Gb/s applications such as 40G and 100G Ethernet.