New Training: Describe Data Center Transceivers

In this 7-video skill, CBT Nuggets trainer Jeff Kish explores the different transceiver types that we use in data center designs, including SFP+, QSFP+, SFP28, QSFP28, and QSFP-DD. Watch this new Cisco training.

Learn Cisco with one of these courses:

• Data Center Networking with Cisco Nexus Switches

• Cisco CCNP Data Center

This training includes:

• 7 videos

• 1.1 hours of training

You’ll learn these topics in this skill:

• Intro

• SFP and QSFP Technology

• 10G and 25G Transceiver Options

• 40G and 100G Transceiver Options

• QSFP-DD Transceivers

• Verify Compatibility with Cisco TMG

• Review and Quiz

What is a SFP+ Transceiver?

The enterprise environment has constantly shifting requirements for its IT infrastructure. As businesses require more data and services, the IT landscape needs to adjust to those increasing demands. It's not feasible to constantly change hardware as requirements change, though. For instance, networking equipment needs to adapt. That's one of the things that an SFP transceiver can assist with.

SFP stands for small form-factor pluggable. It's a compact, hot-pluggable network interface module used for telecommunication and data communication devices such as switches or routers. These devices are preferred over fixed media since they can be exchanged as needed. For instance, a copper ethernet interface can be exchanged for a fiber-optic module. Likewise, if the module dies, it can be replaced without installing an entirely new device.

The SFP standard was later upgraded to the SFP+ standard. The SFP + standard increased speeds up to 10Gbit/s per second. Later the SFP28 spec iterated on that speed and increased it to 25 Gbit/s.