Is the GLC-SX-MMD Transceiver Right for Your Network?

Growing businesses typically requires higher-bandwidth networks. It is an unavoidable trend. The old-decade technology like Base-T Ethernet works just fine for small office, but it isn’t sufficient to handle heavier network. Thus if you are in the situation to consider purchasing a large property, or opening up a second office, it is time for you to think about upgrading to Gigabit Ethernet, which moves at ten times the speed of traditional Ethernet. However, there are a number of issues involved in a major network infrastructure transition.

When planning a move to gigabit Ethernet, one of the most urgent concerns is how much new hardware designers have to purchase. The basic components like fiber optic cable and optical transceiver modules are indispensable. These inexpensive Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) slots allow transceivers like the GLC-SX-MMD to be plugged in and provide instant gigabit Ethernet connectivity. The Cisco standard SFP transceiver allows data rate of 1000Mbps with DOM support. The max transmission distance is 550m over OM2 multimode fiber. So here comes the question, is the GLC-SX-MMD transceiver (see in Figure 1) right for your network?

Fiber Optic Gigabit Ethernet vs Twisted Copper

As noted before, GLC-SX-MMD transceiver operates over multimode fiber at rate of up to 1000Mbps. Using copper-wire cabling or fiber optic cabling like above is the unsolved dilemma when contemplating a network. It is the common sense that fiber optic cabling is more expensive than twisted copper cabling, but fiber optic provides several advantages over copper with the same gigabit speeds.

First, fiber optic supports longer link distance than twisted copper. For instance, copper can only run for around 100 meters, whereas fiber can go between 200 and 500 feet, or more, without signal loss. Fiber has given off no radio interference, allowing it to coexist more easily in an office with a lot of wireless devices. Because of the lack of interference, fiber is also harder to hack into than copper. What’s more, for future proofing, moving away from copper is probably a good idea, as the fiber optics are growing steadily in popularity among businesses which have taken over large twisted-copper office buildings, created expansive complexes, or need to collaborate with remote offices in real time. Figure 2 shows a standard GLC-SX-MMD transceiver links fiber optic Ethernet with Cisco Switch.

Using a GLC-SX-MMD for Fiber Optic Gigabit Ethernet

GLC-SX-MMD, as a representative of the standard Cisco SFP, is widely utilized for short-reach Gigabit Ethernet. As we know, the biggest advantage of Cisco's SFP system is that it's entirely hot-swappable. It doesn't matter what the device is, from servers to your switch to simple Ethernet cards: If it has an SFP port on it, it can support a multitude of transceivers for different functions, through one standardized interface. In fact, that standardization means that third parties can produce transceivers which are as good as official Cisco units.

Cisco even maintains a Compatibility Matrix, to help you pick the right transceiver for the job. So, if you decide that fiber optic gigabit Ethernet is what you need for your future business communications, the GLC-SX-MMD transceiver is truly simple to install and use. Simply plug it into your switch or other device, plug in the new network cable, and it should recognize the network in a few moments.

Conclusion

For those who still use copper network or lower-bandwidth application, it’s time for them to think about upgrading their infrastructure. And there are several different gigabit Ethernet standards out there, you can see which best fits your vision for the future of your business. Just keep in mind that you will need an optical transceiver like the GLC-SX-MMD to connect your existing devices to the new network. Fiberstore manufactures high-quality fiber optical transceivers, like 100BASE SFP, 1000BASE SFP, BiDi SFP, CWDM/DWDM SFP Transceiver Module and SONET/SDH SFP, besides Compatible GLC-SX-MMD transceiver with lower price. GLC-SX-MM-RGD and GLC-SX-MM are also offered. If you have any requirement of our products, please contact us directly.

Basic Information About SFP Transceiver Modules

SFP (small form-factor pluggable) transceivers, as one of the most useful technological advancements on the market are warmly welcomed by subscribers. These transceivers are some of the most reliable devices in the market because the designs are derived from a multi-source agreement (MSA) and are a pluggable form of SFF. They are hot-swappable, which is highly beneficial to designers in the industry. Besides these helpful information, here are some things you need to know about SFP transceiver modules.

Types of SFP Transceivers
SFP transceivers are available with a large amount of transmitter and receiver types. Customers can select the appropriate transceiver to provide the required optical reach over multi-mode fiber (MMF) or single-mode fiber (SMF).

Optical SFP module is commonly offered in several different categories: SX, LX, ZX, 1000BASE-T, and DWDM, etc. Each category supports a different distance that will transmit data both upstream and downstream. For instance, the SX model will transmit for 10 km, ZX will transmit up to 80 km and DWDM transceiver will achieve various distance at various wavelengths. Take Cisco SFP as an example.

• For copper twisted pair cabling

Cisco 1000BASE-T SFP module (Cisco GLC-T) operates on category 5 unshielded twisted-pair copper cabling of link lengths up to 100 m.

• For multi-mode fiber

GLC-SX-MMD operates on 1000BASE-SX standard links up to 550 m

• For single-mode fiber

GLC-LH-SMD 1310 nm, for distances up to 10 km
GLC-EX-SMD 1310 nm, for distances up to 40 km
GLC-ZX-SMD 1550 nm, for distances up to 80 km

Where Transceivers Are Used?
Most SFP transceivers can be found in popular networking systems such as Wide Area Networks (WANs), Metro Access Network, and Metro Core Network. SFP transceivers support fiber networking standards such as Fibre Channel, SONET, and Gigabit Ethernet. They also support a variety of other communications standards as well. A compact and hot-swappable optical transceiver can be used in all types of optical communications and telecommunications applications. These devices will connect a switch, router, or other network device.

Advantages of an SFP Transceiver
SFP transceiver is hot-swappable, which make it easy to change and easy for maintenance compared with traditional modules. SFP transceiver modules make the fiber optic network or fiber-Ethernet network easier to upgrade or maintain users can replace a single SFP module during the process instead of replacing the whole board with many modules on it.

Digital optical monitoring (DOM) is based on the new and modern optical transceiver design. Consumers have the ability to monitor real-time parameters of the SFP module. Optical inputs and output power, laser bias, and supply voltage will allow designers to monitor real-time.

In addition, A SFP transceiver is capable of transferring data rates up to 4.25 Gpbs. The XFP form factor is similar to the SFP type. But compared to XFP (10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable) transceiver, the functionality of SFP module increases about three times at 10 Gpbs. SFP transceivers have a higher optical reliability and will permit higher soldering temperatures. SFP transceivers are recommended by fiber optic component providers to ensure proper data transmission.

Conclusion
SFP modules are some of the best in the industry and will ensure that your design operates at full capacity with low failure rates. This article mainly analyzes three expects of SFP transceiver modules, namely the category of SFP module, application and advantage. Fiberstore offers an exceptional amount of SFP modules that are fully compatible with major brand (Cisco, HP, Finisar, Juniper, etc.). Not only GLC-SX-MMD, GLC-ZX-SMD, DS-SFP-FC8G-SW and EX-SFP-1GE-SX, but also GLC-T SFP are all available in Fiberstore. I cannot list all the compatible SFP transceivers here. If you are interested, you can contact us directly.