When building a high-speed and efficient network system, it is crucial to choose the right connection technology. 10G copper port (10GBASE-T) and 10G optical module (SFP+) are the two mainstream high-speed network solutions on the market. They each have their own advantages, but in different application scenarios and requirements, the choice of which technology will directly affect the performance and cost-effectiveness of the network.
Both 10GBASE-T and 10G SFP+ optical modules are widely used in 10G Ethernet. What is the difference between 10G copper port modules and 10G optical port modules? How to choose the right solution for 10G Ethernet data center cabling? This article will give a comprehensive introduction to 10G copper port modules and 10G optical port modules to help everyone choose the right solution in 10G network deployment.
Overview of 10G Copper Module vs 10G Optical Module
The 10G copper port module (10GBASE-T copper module) is specially designed for high-speed communication links of 10Gb Ethernet and can be transmitted on Cat 6a/7 network cables. It is a 10G module that provides 10Gb/s rate through Ethernet copper cable and complies with SFF-8431 and SFF-8432 MSA standards.
The 10G optical port module (SFP+ optical module) can also be used for 10G network transmission with a maximum transmission distance of 100km. It has many models, such as 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-ER, 10GBASE-ZR, etc.
What is the Difference Between 10GBASE-T SFP+ vs 10G Optical Module?
Next, this article will explain in detail the difference between 10G copper port module and 10G optical port module from the perspective of optical module flexibility, backward compatibility, latency, transmission distance and cost.
Flexibility & backward compatibility
The 10G copper port module uses the interoperable 10GBASE-T technology, which can use RJ45 connectors and can automatically negotiate between 10/100/1000Mbps and 10G rates. In other words, the 10G copper port module is backward compatible with standard copper cable network equipment. The 10G optical port module can be applied to 10G Ethernet and 10G Fibre Channel, but is not compatible with copper cabling systems, and can sometimes be used in 1G optical networks.
Latency
With the increasing use of private cloud applications, the demand for low latency in large data centers is growing rapidly. Low latency is critical to ensure fast response and reduce CPU idle cycles, which can improve the operation efficiency and ROI of data centers. The 10G copper port module uses the PHY standard, which can use block coding to transmit data without error on copper cables. The standard defines the transmit and receive time of the 10G copper port module as 2.6 microseconds.
The 10G optical port module uses simplified electronic devices without coding, and its latency for each link is about 300 nanoseconds. As can be seen from the table below, the latency of the 10G optical port module is lower than that of the 10G copper port module.
Transmission distance
The maximum transmission distance of the 10G copper port module on Cat6a or Cat7 network cables is 100m, and the maximum transmission distance of the SFP+ 10G optical port module on single-mode optical fiber is 100km. Therefore, the 10G optical port module is usually used in network deployments with greater transmission distance requirements.
Cost
The 10G copper port module is usually wired using Cat6a or Cat7 network cables, which is cheaper than the 10G optical port module using optical fiber patch cords. In data centers, hundreds of cables are usually required, and using relatively cheaper network cables can save a lot of costs. In addition, the 10G copper port module can make full use of the existing copper cable structure wiring, which also saves a lot of expenses. The 10G optical port module needs to use relatively more expensive single-mode or multi-mode optical fiber patch cords for transmission, and the maintenance cost of the optical fiber wiring system is also relatively higher.
Application Scenarios of 10GBASE-T vs SFP+ Optics
Although both 10G copper port modules and 10G optical port modules can be used to achieve 10G Ethernet transmission, they have different application scenarios in data centers and enterprise networks. 10G copper port modules are often used for data center and enterprise network cabling connections with a transmission distance of less than 30 meters at the top of the rack (ToR), MoR, and EoR. 10G optical port modules are usually used in ToR, MoR, EoR, and backbone core networks in data centers, and the maximum transmission distance is 100km.
Related FAQs
Q: What is the difference between 10G DAC high-speed cable and 10G copper port module and 10G optical port module?
A: Although the transmission rate of 10G DAC high-speed cable is the same as that of 10G copper port module and 10G optical port module, there are still the following differences:
Backward compatibility: 10G DAC high-speed cable is not compatible with Gigabit switches and can only be used for the connection of 10G Ethernet switches, while 10G copper port modules are backward compatible with standard copper cable network equipment.
Latency: As can be seen from the above, the latency of the 10G copper port module is about 2.6 microseconds, the latency of the 10G optical port module is about 300 nanoseconds, and the latency of the 10G DAC high-speed cable is between the two, about 0.3~1.8 microseconds, which is lower than the latency of the 10G copper port module.
Transmission distance: Compared with the 10G copper port module, the maximum transmission distance of the 10G DAC high-speed cable is only 10 meters, which greatly limits the power consumption and latency, and is often used for wiring connections within and between racks.
Cable type: The 10G DAC high-speed cable comes with twisted pair for signal transmission, and the 10G copper port module and the 10G optical port module use network cables and optical fibers for transmission respectively.
Cost: As mentioned above, since 10G copper port modules are usually wired with cheap network cables, the cost is lower than that of 10G optical port modules. However, it should be noted that the prices of single-mode and multi-mode 10G optical port modules with different wavelengths and transmission distances are different. For example, industrial-grade 10G copper port modules are more expensive than industrial-grade 10G optical port modules. However, 10G DAC high-speed cables are cheaper. For example, the price of a 1m long 10G DAC high-speed cable from ADOP is as low as 38 yuan, while the price of a 10G copper port module is at least 210 yuan.
Conclusion
In summary, 10G copper port modules and 10G optical port modules differ in flexibility, backward compatibility, distance, application latency and cost. You can choose the right product according to your network needs. However, it is worth noting that with the popularization of optical fiber wiring systems, copper cable wiring systems will gradually withdraw from the market, that is, 10G copper port modules will gradually withdraw from the market. With the decline in prices and power consumption, 10G optical port modules will become the ideal solution for mainstream 10G Ethernet in data centers.