Editing Small Form-factor Pluggable (section)

{{short description|Modular communications interface}}
{{Redirect|OSFP|the multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece|Olympiacos CFP}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}

[[file:SFP board 2.jpg|thumb|Small Form-factor Pluggable connected to a pair of [[fiber-optic cable]]s]]

'''Small Form-factor Pluggable''' ('''SFP''') is a compact, [[hot-pluggable]] network interface module format used for both [[telecommunication]] and [[data communications]] applications. An SFP interface on [[networking hardware]] is a modular slot for a media-specific [[transceiver]], such as for a [[fiber-optic cable]] or a copper cable.<ref name="pcmag"/> The advantage of using SFPs compared to fixed interfaces (e.g. [[modular connector]]s in [[Ethernet switches]]) is that individual ports can be equipped with different types of transceivers as required, with the majority including [[optical line terminal]]s, [[network card]]s, [[Network Switch|switches]] and [[Router (computing)|routers]].

The [[Form factor (design)|form factor]] and electrical interface are specified by a [[multi-source agreement]] (MSA) under the auspices of the [[Small Form Factor Committee]].<ref name="sfpmsa"/> The SFP replaced the larger [[gigabit interface converter]] (GBIC) in most applications, and has been referred to as a '''Mini-GBIC''' by some vendors.<ref name="Cisco MGBSX1"/>

SFP transceivers exist supporting [[synchronous optical networking]] (SONET), [[Gigabit Ethernet]], [[Fibre Channel]], [[Passive optical network|PON]], and other communications standards. At introduction, typical speeds were {{nowrap|1 Gbit/s}} for Ethernet SFPs and up to {{nowrap|4 Gbit/s}} for Fibre Channel SFP modules.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flexoptix.net/en/transceiver/sfp-singlemode-transceiver-4g-fc-sm-1310nm-5km-10db-ddm-dom.html?co3101=18397 |title=4G Fibre Channel SFP |publisher=Flexoptix GmbH |access-date=2019-10-05}}</ref> In 2006, '''SFP+''' specification brought speeds up to {{nowrap|10 Gbit/s}} and the later '''SFP28''' iteration, introduced in 2014,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-12-02 |title=DRAFT SFF-8402 CB |url=https://members.snia.org/document/dl/35505 |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=SNIA Members |publisher=Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA)}}</ref> is designed for speeds of {{nowrap|25 Gbit/s}}.<ref name="snia"/>

A slightly larger sibling is the four-lane '''Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable''' ('''QSFP'''). The additional lanes allow for speeds 4 times their corresponding SFP. In 2014, the '''QSFP28''' variant was published allowing speeds up to {{nowrap|100 Gbit/s}}.<ref name="sff-8665"/> In 2019, the closely related '''QSFP56''' was standardized<ref name="sff-8636r2.9.2draft" /> doubling the top speeds to {{nowrap|200 Gbit/s}} with products already selling from major vendors.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mellanox.com/related-docs/prod_ib_switch_systems/PB_QM8700.pdf|title=Mellanox Quantum 8700 40 port QSFP56 Product Brief}}</ref> There are inexpensive adapters allowing SFP transceivers to be placed in a QSFP port.

Both a '''SFP-DD''',<ref name="SFP-DD MSA"/> which allows for {{nowrap|100 Gbit/s}} over two lanes, as well as a '''QSFP-DD'''<ref name="QSFP-DD MSA"/> specifications, which allows for {{nowrap|400 Gbit/s}} over eight lanes, have been published.<ref name="Lightwave" /> These use a [[Form factor (design)|form factor]] which is directly [[Backward compatibility|backward compatible]] to their respective predecessors.<ref>{{cite web |title=Backward Compatibility: QSFP-DD/QSFP28/QSFP+/SFP+ |url=https://www.qsfptek.com/article/backward-compatibility-qsfp-dd-qsfp28-qsfp-sfp |publisher=Derek |access-date=21 July 2022}}</ref>

An even larger sibling, the '''Octal Small Format Pluggable''' ('''OSFP'''), had products released in 2022<ref>{{Cite web|title=Introduction - NVIDIA QM97X0 NDR SWITCH SYSTEMS USER MANUAL - NVIDIA Networking Docs|url=https://docs.nvidia.com/networking/display/QM97X0PUB/Introduction#Introduction-speeds|access-date=2022-01-18|website=docs.nvidia.com}}</ref> capable of {{nowrap|800 Gbit/s}} links between network equipment. It is a slightly larger version than the QSFP form factor allowing for larger power outputs. The OSFP standard was initially announced in 2016<ref name="OSFP MSA" /> with the 4.0 version released in 2021 allowing for {{nowrap|800 Gbit/s}} via 8×{{nowrap|100 Gbit/s}} electrical data lanes.<ref>{{Cite press release|orig-date=2021-06-03|title=OSFP MSA Announces Release of OSFP 4.0 Specification for 800G Modules|url=https://www.osfpmsa.org/press-releases/pr-20210603.html|access-date=2022-01-18|website=www.osfpmsa.org|quote=With the 800G spec completed, group is developing specification for 1600G modules}}</ref> Its proponents say a low-cost adapter will allow for backwards compatibility with QSFP modules.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://osfpmsa.org/assets/pdf/OSFP-to-QSFP-Adapter.pdf|title=OSFP to QSFP Adapter |access-date=2021-11-02}}</ref>