GIGATECH PRODUCTS GUIDE TO OSFP INTEROPERABILITY

With advancement in technology such as Artificial Intelligence and Cloud infrastructure, large-scale Enterprise & Data Centers, public, and private networks continue to raise the need for higher bandwidth to deliver performance.  OSFP (Octal Small Form-factor Pluggable) has become a frontrunner in the latest 400/800G capability with options to sustain this high-speed requirement as well as features for connecting to lower existing speeds and network topologies.

Features & Benefits

  • Next-Gen Bandwidth

    OSFP offers a means to increase bandwidth with 400G, 800G, and 1.6TB devices in focus.

  • Breakout Capability

    Certain OSFP modules possess the ability to connect with multiple lower bandwidth applications via breakout mode.

  • Backward compatibility

    OSFP supports links to other form factors such as QSFP-DD, QSFP56, QSFP28 and even SFP28/SFP+ form factor types.

OSFP stands for Octal Small Form-factor Pluggable.  OSFP is a high-speed, high-density, hot-pluggable transceiver module used in data communication applications, targeting speeds of 400G, 800G, and even 1.6TB.  This also has support to bridge lower speeds in existing networks via use of breakout methodologies and multiple connector options on the same transceiver device to allow more lanes of connectivity.

Compliance
OSFP MSA
IEEE 802.3ck; 802.3 cu-202
OIF CMIS
RoHS

800G OSFP Models

800GBase-SR8

The OSFP SR8 is a short-range transceiver for use over parallel multimode fiber.  Utilizing 8 optical pairs of 850nm, each optical pair operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 16 fibers (8x Tx and 8x Rx) between dual MTP/MPO-12 APC Multimode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 800G, or 2x 400G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
800Gbps
850nm
100m
2x MPO-12 APC MULTIMODE
8x 100G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP SR8

2x MTP/MPO-12 800G Link

OSFP SR8

Direct Connection between OSFP SR8 Transceivers for 800G Connectivity

OSFP 800G SR8

2x MPO-12 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G SR4

The OSFP SR8 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G-SR4.2 Breakout Capability

800GBase-2DR4 (2x DR4)

The OSFP 2DR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 500m over parallel singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 8 optical pairs of 1310nm, each optical channel operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 16 fiber (8x Tx and 8x Rx) between dual MTP/MPO-12 APC Singlemode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 800G, 2x 400G, or 8x 100G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
800Gbps
1310nm
500m
2x MPO-12 APC SINGLEMODE
8x 100G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 2DR4

2x MPO-12 APC SMF 800G Link

OSFP 2DR4

Direct Connection between OSFP 2DR4 Transceivers for 800G Connectivity

OSFP 800G 2DR4

2x MPO-12 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G DR4

The OSFP 2DR4 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G-DR4 Breakout Capability

OSFP 800G 2DR4

2x MPO-8 to 4x LC UPC SMF 100G Link

QSFP 100G DR

The OSFP 2DR4 Transceiver Supports 8x 100G-DR Breakout Capability

800GBase-2PLR4 (2x PLR4)

The OSFP 2PLR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 10km over parallel singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 8 optical pairs of 1310nm, each optical channel operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 16 fiber (8x Tx and 8x Rx) between dual MTP/MPO-12 APC Singlemode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 800G, 2x 400G, or 8x 100G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
800Gbps
1310nm
10KM
2x MPO-12 APC SINGLEMODE
8x 100G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 2PLR4

2x MPO-12 APC SMF 800G Link

OSFP 2PLR4

Direct Connection between OSFP 2PLR4 Transceivers for 800G Connectivity

OSFP 800G 2PLR4

2x MPO-12 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G LR4

The OSFP 2PLR4 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G-LR4 Breakout Capability

OSFP 800G 2PLR4

2x MPO-8 to 4x LC UPC SMF 100G Link

QSFP 100G LR

The OSFP 2PLR4 Transceiver Supports 8x 100G-LR Breakout Capability

800GBase-2FR4 (2x FR4)

The OSFP 2FR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 2km over duplex singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 8 CWDM pairs, each optical channel operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 4 fiber (2x Tx and 2x Rx) between dual LC Singlemode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to a single 800G, or 2x 400G application.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
800Gbps
1271nm, 1291nm, 1311nm and 1331nm
2KM
2x LC Duplex SMF
8x 100G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 2FR4

2x LC UPC SMF 800G Link

OSFP 2FR4

Direct Connection between OSFP 2FR4 Transceivers for 800G Connectivity

OSFP 800G 2FR4

2x LC UPC SMF 400G Link

OSFP 400F FR4

The OSFP 2FR4 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G-FR4 Breakout Capability

800GBase-2LR4

The OSFP 2LR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 10km over duplex singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 8 CWDM pairs, each optical channel operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 4 fiber (2x Tx and 2x Rx) between dual LC Singlemode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to a single 800G, or 2x 400G application.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
800Gbps
1271nm, 1291nm, 1311nm and 1331nm
10KM
2x LC DUPLEX SINGLEMODE
8x 100G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 2LR4

2x LC UPC SMF 800G Link

OSFP 2LR4

Direct Connection between OSFP 2LR4 Transceivers for 800G Connectivity

OSFP 2LR4

2x LC UPC SMF 400G Link

OSFP 400G LR4

The OSFP 2LR4 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G-LR4 Breakout Capability

400G OSFP Models

400GBase-SR8

The OSFP SR8 is a short-range transceiver for use over parallel multimode fiber.  Utilizing 8 optical pairs of 850nm, each optical pair operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 16 fibers (8x Tx and 8x Rx) via MTP/MPO-16 APC Multimode connectors.  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G, 2x 200G, 2x 100G, or 8x 50G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
850nm
100m
1x MPO-16 MMF APC
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 400G SR8

1x MPO-16 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G SR8

Direct Connection between OSFP SR8 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

OSFP 400G SR8

1x MPO-16 APC to 2x MPO-12 APC 200G Link

QSFP56 200G SR4

The OSFP SR8 Transceiver Supports 2x 200G QSFP56 SR4 Breakout Capability

OSFP 400G SR8

MPO-16 APC 200G to 2x 100G MTP-12 Breakout 100G Link

2x QSFP28 100G SR4

The OSFP SR8 Transceiver Supports 2x 100G QSFP28 SR4 Breakout Capability

OSFP 400G SR8

1x MPO-16 APC to 8x LC UPC SMF 50G Link

8x 50G SFP56 SR

The OSFP 400G SR8 Transceiver Supports 8x 50G-SR Breakout Capability

400GBase-SR4

The OSFP SR4 is a short-range transceiver for use over parallel multimode fiber.  Utilizing 4 optical pairs of 850nm, each optical pair operates at 100Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 8 fibers (4x Tx and 4x Rx) via MTP/MPO-12 APC Multimode connector.  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G, or paired to use with 800Gbase-SR8.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
855nm/908nm
100m
MPO-12 APC MULTIMODE
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 400G SR4

1x MPO-12 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G SR4

Direct Connection between OSFP SR4 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

2x OSFP 400G SR4

1x MPO-16 APC to 2x MPO-12 APC 200G Link

OSFP 800G SR8

The OSFP SR8 Transceiver Supports 2x 400G OSFP SR4 Breakout Capability

400GBase-SR4.2

The OSFP SR4.2 is a short-range transceiver for use over parallel multimode fiber.  Utilizing 4 optical pairs of 855nm/908nm, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 8 fiber (4x Tx and 4x Rx).  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G or 4x 100G 1.2 applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
855nm/908nm
100m
MPO-12 MULTIMODE
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 400G SR4.2

1x MPO-12 APC 400G Link

OSFP 400G SR4.2

Direct Connection between OSFP SR4.2 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

OSFP 400G SR4.2

MPO-12 400G to 4x 100G LC MMF Breakout 100G Link

4x QSFP28 100G SR1.2

The OSFP SR4.2 Transceiver Supports 4x 100G QSFP28 SR Breakout Capability

400GBase-DR4

The OSFP DR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 500m over parallel singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 4 optical pairs of 1310nm, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 8 fiber (4x Tx and 4x Rx).  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G or 4x 100G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
1310nm
500m
MPO-12 APC SINGLEMODE
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP 400G DR4

MPO-12 APC SMF 400G Link

OSFP 400G DR4

Direct Connection between OSFP DR4 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

OSFP 400G DR4

MPO-12 400G to 4x 100G LC Duplex Breakout

100G QSFP28

The OSFP DR4 can breakout to 4x 100GBASE-DR for 100G Connectivity

400GBase-FR (DR4+)

The OSFP FR transceiver is used for transmission up to 2km over parallel singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 4 optical pairs of 1310nm, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 8 fiber (4x Tx and 4x Rx).  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G or 4x 100G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
1310nm
2KM
MPO-12 APC SINGLEMODE
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP FR

MPO-12 APC SMF 400G Link

OSFP FR

Direct Connection between OSFP FR Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

OSFP 400G FR

MPO-12 400G to 4x 100G LC Duplex Breakout

100G QSFP28

The OSFP FR can breakout to 4x 100GBASE-DR for 100G Connectivity

400GBase-LR (PLR4)

The OSFP LR transceiver is used for transmission up to 10km over parallel singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 4 optical pairs of 1310nm, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 8 fiber (4x Tx and 4x Rx).  This transceiver can be used to connect to single 400G or 4x 100G applications.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
400Gbps
1310nm
10KM
MPO-12 APC SINGLEMODE
8x 50G PAM4

Select Breakout Options Below

OSFP LR

MPO-12 APC SMF 400G Link

OSFP LR

Direct Connection between OSFP LR Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

OSFP 400G LR

MPO-12 400G to 4x 100G LC Duplex Breakout

100G QSFP28

The OSFP LR can breakout to 4x 100GBASE-LR for 100G Connectivity

400GBase-FR4

The OSFP FR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 2km over duplex singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 4 CWDM pairs, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 2 fiber (1x Tx and 1x Rx).  This transceiver can only be used to connect to a single 400G application.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
200Gbps
1295.56nm, 1300.05nm, 1304.58nm, 1309.14nm
10KM
Dual Duplex CS SMF PC/UPC
8x 25G NRZ

OSFP FR4

LC Duplex SMF 400G Link

OSFP FR4

Direct Connection between OSFP FR4 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

400GBase-LR4

The OSFP LR4 transceiver is used for transmission up to 10km over duplex singlemode fiber.  Utilizing 4 CWDM pairs, each optical channel operates at 50Gb/s PAM4, resulting in a total of 2 fiber (1x Tx and 1x Rx).  This transceiver can only be used to connect to a single 400G application.

Data Rate Wavelength Max Distance Connector Modulation
200Gbps
1295.56nm, 1300.05nm, 1304.58nm, 1309.14nm
10KM
Dual Duplex CS SMF PC/UPC
8x 25G NRZ

OSFP LR4

LC Duplex SMF 400G Link

OSFP LR4

Direct Connection between OSFP LR4 Transceivers for 400G Connectivity

Optical Channel Modulation

Initial optical transceivers utilized NRZ (Non-Return-To-Zero) modulation for transmitting electrical signals.  NRZ is highly stable and was used to create the QSFP+ 40G and QSFP28 100G optical transceivers.  These speeds were achieved by using four parallel electrical lanes, each lane running at 10Gbps (QSFP+ 40G) to 25Gbps (QSFP28 100G) with NRZ encoding. As requirements for increased bandwidth grew, there was a need for a new type of modulation.  PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation 4 Levels) was introduced with the new generation transceivers including QSFP56, QSFP-DD, and OSFP form factors to handle increased speeds of 200G, 400G, and 800G transceivers.  PAM4 is a significant breakthrough in technology, utilizing more channels at higher rates, with 1.6GB in development as the next streamlined traffic milestone

NRZ Modulation

NRZ (Non-Return to Zero) is a digital line coding scheme used in telecommunications.  In NRZ, binary data values are directly represented by distinct signal levels:

Binary 1: Represented by a specific signal level (often a positive voltage).

Binary 0: Represented by a different signal level (often a negative voltage).

The key point is that the signal level does not return to zero between transmitting consecutive bits of the same value.

Imagine a classic light switch, on or off. That’s essentially NRZ, using two voltage levels to represent data: high for 1 and low for 0. Simple, reliable, and widely used for lower data rates under 100G.

NRZ incorporated 1G, 10G, and up to 25G per lane speeds, but was not suited for higher levels of data due to the simplicity of design.

Eye Diagram for NRZ data

PAM-4 Modulation

PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation, 4 Levels) is a multi-level signaling technique used in high-speed data communication.

Instead of representing bits with just two distinct levels (high and low) like in NRZ, PAM4 uses four distinct voltage levels allowing it to transmit two bits of information per symbol.

00: Lowest voltage level

01: Second lowest voltage level

10: Second highest voltage level

11: Highest voltage level

Think of this as a dimmer switch with multiple levels vs NRZ method of “on & off”. This doubles the bandwidth compared to NRZ, perfect for transmitting more data at the same speed of modulation.

PAM4 in OSFP utilizes up to 8 electrical lanes over 4 or 8 optical channels.  Broken down in modulation speeds of 50Gb/s, 100Gb/s, and 200Gb/s to achieve total bandwidth of 400G, 800G, and 1.6TB collectively.

Eye Diagram for PAM4 data

Link Bandwidth & Lanes

Ethernet linkLink bandwidthNo. of lanesModulation of each laneCommon applications
10G10Gb/s110G NRZAll 10G SFP+ ports
25G25Gb/s125G NRZAll 25G SFP ports
50G50Gb/s150G PAM-4All 50G SFP ports
50G-250Gb/s225G NRZQSFP100 and QSFP200 ports on a switch can often be configured to operate as 2x 50G-2 Ethernet links.
50G-2 QSFP interfaces are sometimes found in 50G NICs. Only 2 lanes (out of the 4 lanes available on a QSFP connector) are used.
The 100GBase to 2x 50GBase passive breakout cables can be used to breakout a 100G-4 QSFP port to 2x 50G-2 QSFP ports.
100G-4100Gb/s425G NRZAll 100G QSFP ports. All 200G QSFP ports can also be configured to operate at 100G-4.
100G-2100Gb/s250G PAM-4400G OSFP or QSFP-DD ports can be configured to operate as 4x 100G-2 Ethernet links, and a QSFP200 port on a switch can be configured to operate as 2x 100G-2 Ethernet links.
100G-1100Gb/s1100G PAM-4All 800G OSFP and QSFP-DD modules can be configured to operate as 8x 100G-1 Ethernet links. The electrical and optical interface of all 800G modules use 8 lanes at 100G PAM-4.
200G-4200Gb/s450G PAM-4All 200G QSFP ports.
A 400G OSFP or QSFP-DD port on a switch can often be configured to operate as 2x 200G-4 Ethernet links.
A 400GBase to 2x 200GBase passive breakout cable can be used to breakout a 400G OSFP or QSFP-DD port, respectively, to 2x 200G-4 QSFP ports.
200G-2200Gb/s2100G PAM-4800G ports on a switch can often be configured to operate as 4x 200G-2 Ethernet links.
400G-8400Gb/s850G PAM-4All 400G OSFP and QSFP-DD ports.
400G-4400Gb/s4100G PAM-4All 800G ports on a switch can be configured to operate as 2x400G-4 Ethernet links.
800G-8800Gb/s8100G PAM-4Initial 800G / port systems support 2x 400GE per 800G port. Future systems will support native 800GE as defined by the Ethernet Technology Consortium in 800GBASE-ETC-R and the IEEE in 802.3df (in progress).

OSFP Frequently Asked Questions

Are OSFP Ports Compatible with Other Transceiver Types Such as QSFP-DD?

No, OSFP ports are intended only for OSFP Pluggables and will not accept other form factors including QSFP or SFP.  The only exception to this would be if using an adapter type approved for your system such as OSFP to QSFP.

Are OSFP able to connect with other form factors?

Yes.  OSFP can be paired with equivalent media type of QSFP-DD (Quad Small Form Factor Double Density) directly.  It is also possible for OSFP to link to lower speeds such as QSFP56, QSFP28, and even SFP types via breakout cable.

Why are there multiple connectors on a single OSFP Transceiver?

OSFP form factor is larger than QSFP-DD, designed for future proofing at higher speeds.  This grants more customization to allow connector density.  Currently it is most common for 800G speed transceivers to use two connectors which run independently (400G each per inserted connector).  When run together achieve full 800G benchmarks.

What is “Finned” vs “Flat” OSFP?

OSFP (Octal Small Form Factor Pluggable) is a type of high-speed pluggable transceiver used for networking equipment. "Finned" and "Flat" refer to the design of the OSFP module's heat sink:

  • Open Finned OSFP: This design features a heat sink with fins protruding from the top. These fins increase the surface area for heat dissipation, making it ideal for environments or applications that generate more heat.
  • Closed Flat OSFP: This design has a flat heat sink without fins. It's generally used in situations where heat dissipation is not a major concern, such as in lower power applications or systems with advanced cooling mechanisms