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DECEMBER 4, 2006 -- Multiple communications companies today announced the release of a Quad (4-channel) Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) optical module specification in its final form.
Feedback from the public review of the QSFP specification increased the speed capabilities of the QSFP from 5 Gbits/sec to 10 Gbits/sec. With four channels each running at 10 Gbits/sec, QSFP proponents say the module is the most practical approach for 40-Gbit/sec applications such as quad 10-Gbit/sec Fibre Channel, quad 10-Gigabit Ethernet, and quad data rate (QDR) InfiniBand.
Current members of the QSFP Multi-Sourcing Agreement (MSA) group include Avago Technologies, Beam Express, Emcore, Emulex, Fiberxon, Finisar, Force10 Networks, Helix AG, JDSU, McDATA, Merge Optics, Molex, OCP, Inc., Opnext, Inc., QLogic, Picolight, Inc., Reflex Photonics, The Siemon Co., Tyco Electronics, Xloom Communications, and Zarlink Semiconductor.
The QSFP specification defines a highly integrated four-channel optical transceiver designed to provide increased port density and total system cost savings when replacing four standard SFP transceiver modules. The device will support Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand, and SONET/SDH standards with different data rate options. The QSFP MSA document specifies a transceiver module mechanical form factor with latching mechanism, host board electrical edge connector, and cage. The hot-pluggable module integrates four transmit and four receive channels with a standard MPO parallel optical connector.
The QSFP device features digital diagnostic capability to monitor link performance. The module is designed to enable extremely high-density applications with stacked and ganged configurations. This highly integrated transceiver module will enable network equipment manufacturers to increase port density and system data throughput and consequently reduce costs per gigabit per second.
With a port density 3X higher than traditional SFP transceivers, the QSFP replaces four standard SFP modules in a space that is only 30 percent larger than a single SFP; the QSFP requires approximately the same front-panel space of an XFP module. Due to the increased capabilities, over 3X (3.11) more transceivers can be placed in a given area on a switch or product. The QSFP's design repackages the existing SFP transceiver to utilize a 12-fiber ribbon instead of individual fibers.
Additionally, the QSFP design supports Ethernet, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand, and SDH/SONET with data rates up to 10 Gbits/sec per channel. The QSFP platform demonstrates potential for aggregated higher volumes and improved economics realized from several protocols/applications using the same transceiver. The QSFP MSA is the world's first Z-pluggable parallel optical transceiver with multi-vendor support offering customers a variety of purchasing options.
In addition, the inherent 4+4 channel architecture of QSFP lends itself to increase distances supported by multi-lane serial I/O electrical interconnects like PCI Express (PCIe) and InfiniBand.
Visit The QSFP MSA website
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