SFP28, or 25G SFP+, is the enhanced version of SFP+ and is designed for 25G signal transmission. Since its transmission rate can reach up to 28Gbps, it has been titled SFP28. The physical structure of the 25G transceiver is identical to the popular SFP+, but the electrical interface has been upgraded to handle 25Gbps per lane. The 25G SFP28 SR is designed to transfer data over short distance (up to 100m over MMF) while the 25G SFP28 LR transceiver set is tooled for long distance transmission (up to 10 km over SMF).
Benefits of 25G SFP28 Connections
SFP28 vs SFP+: Same Form Factor with Higher Bandwidth
SFP+ is designed to operate at 10.3125 Gb/s whereas SFP28 is designed to operate at 25.78125 Gb/s. SFP28 utilizes the same familiar form factor as SFP+, so new systems will be able to scale from 10Gb/s to 25Gb/s using the same slots. Other benefits to SFP28 modules include increased bandwidth, superior impedance control, and less crosstalk than a SFP+ solution. As the technology becomes more prevalent the price of 25G modules will begin to match that of 10G.
Cost Effective Cabling Choices
25G SFP28 takes existing module form factors, such as SFP28 and QSFP28, and allows for a breakout connection that is configurable as either 25G per lane or the full 100G without changing the port on the front of switch. QSFP28 to SFP28 breakout cable provides various cabling choices for switches and servers. For example, a 100G QSFP28 to SFP28 breakout cable can be configured to a 4x 25G server or a 2x 50G server connection. A QSFP28 to SFP28 breakout cable is a cost-effective solution for high density, high speed I/O data center applications.
Summary
It is undeniable that 25G is a next generation data center option. 25 Gigabit Ethernet leverages the single-lane 25G physical layer technology to support 100G Ethernet offering higher speed, lower power consumption, and lower cost. If you are considering building a 25G network, GigaTech Products offers a variety of SFP28 options that are 100% compatible to OEM brands.