Compatible transceivers
Compatible transceivers are standardised modules that are used among others products. The most common transceiver types are the following:
- GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter)
- SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable)
- XENPAK (10 Gigabit Ethernet)
- X2 (10 Gigabit Ethernet)
- XFP (10 Gigabit Small Form Factor Pluggable)
The advantage of “pluggable” transceivers is that they are easy to install as network components. This enables a fast adaptation to new interfaces (e.g. CWDM, DWDM, longer distances, etc.), reduction of spare parts and cost control. Top-quality transceivers contain integrated diagnostic functions for monitoring of temperature and optical input and output levels. “Pluggable” transceivers are equipped with an EEPROM that is used by system vendors for integrating extra vendor-specified information. Therefore those transceivers are “correctly” identified by the system components for providing full functionality. Compatible SFPs are available for nearly all major system vendors as shown below:
Cisco Systems; Nortel Networks; Juniper Networks; 3COM; Enterasys Secure Networks; Brocade certified; HP; Extreme Networks; Foundry Networks; Avaya; Huawei; QLogic certified; Marconi; Alcatel-Lucent; D-Link; Riverstone Networks; Linksys.