The Cisco SFP (Small Form-Factor Pluggable) Gigabit Interface Converter (Transceiver) is the industry standard choice for Gigabit Ethernet applications on Cisco modular switches, routers, or blades with SFP slots. SFP is a hot-swappable I / O device that plugs into a Gigabit Ethernet port or slot. The SFP provides an interface that links the port to the network.
Cisco SFPs are flexible and interchangeable with a wide variety of Cisco products. They can also be used in mixed combinations including 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX / LH, 1000BASE-EX, 1000BASE-ZX or 1000BASE-BX10-D / U port by port.
There are many different types of Cisco SFP depending on your particular application.
1000BASE-T SFPs for copper networks operate on garden variety Category 5 unshielded twisted pair copper cabling. Cisco 1000BASE-T SFPs are capable of link lengths up to 100 m (328 ft). Cisco 1000BASE-T SFP modules support 10/100/1000 Auto Negotiation and Auto MDI / MDIX.
The 1000BASE-SX SFPs are designed for multimode fiber use only. The 1000BASE-SX SFP is fully compliant with the IEEE 802.3z 1000BASE-SX standard. The 1000BASE-SX SFPs operate on 50 μm legacy multimode fiber links up to 550 m and 62.5 μm Fiber Distributed Data Interface Grade (FDDI) multimode fibers up to 220 m.
The 1000BASE-LX / LH SFPs are designed for multi-mode and single-mode fiber applications. The 1000BASE-LX / LH SFP is compatible with the IEEE 802.3z 1000BASE-LX standard. These SFPs operate on standard singlemode fiber optic link spans of up to 10km and up to 550m on any multimode fiber. When used over legacy multimode fiber type, the transmitter must be coupled via a mode conditioning patch cord.
1000BASE-EX SFPs are designed for long-range single-mode fiber applications up to 40 km in length. A 5 dB in-line optical attenuator must be inserted between the fiber optic cable and the receive port on the SFP at each end of the link for back-to-back connectivity.
The 1000BASE-ZX SFPs are designed for long-range single-mode fiber applications up to approximately 70 km in length. The SFP provides a 23 dB optical link budget, but the precise length of the link span depends on multiple factors, such as fiber quality, number of splices, and connectors.
The 1000BASE-BX10-D and 1000BASE-BX10-U SFPs are designed for bidirectional single fiber applications and are compliant with the IEEE 802.3ah 1000BASE-BX10-D and 1000BASE-BX10-U standards. The 1000BASE-BX10-D SFPs operate on a single standard SMF thread.