Gigabit Ethernet is a new version of Ethernet with transferring rates of 1 Gigabit per second. It is widely used in local area networks (LANs) with 10 and 100Mbps cards. The first Gigabit Ethernet standard (802.3z) was ratified by the IEEE 802.3 Committee in 1998. Gigabit Ethernet is carried primarily on optical fiber of the fiber optic network (with very short distances possible on copper media). An alternative technology that competes with Gigabit Ethernet is ATM. A newer standard, 10-Gigabit Ethernet, is also becoming available.
Router and switch are necessary and important equipment for a gigabit Ethernet network. A gigabit switch used in tandem with a gigabit router will allow you to use your local network at speeds up to 10 times greater than the previous generation, 10/100 Mbps Fast Ethernet.
Gigabit Ethernet standard fiber optic transceivers such as GBIC, XENPAR, X2, XFP, SFP+, SFP module that converts several electric signals to serial optical signals and vice versa. In networking, fiber optic transceivers are used to interface a fiber optic system with an Ethernet system, such as Fiber Channel and Gigabit Ethernet.
Typical GBIC transceiver is a plug-in module which is hot-swapppable which can be removed and replaced without turning off the system. SFP is short for small factor pluggable, also called mini GBIC because its function is the same with GBIC while with more compact size. GBIC and SFP transceivers are economical because they eliminate the necessity for replacing entire boards at the system level when upgrading to Gigabit networking for better performance.
XENPAR, X2, XFP, SFP+ are typical fiber optic transceiver module that compatible with the 10 Gigabit Ethernet standard. XFP and SFP+ are small form factor pluggable 10Gbps transceiver with the same functions as XENPAK, X2 module and the package sized goes more and more smaller from GBIC to SFP+.
10GB (XENPAK, X2, XFP, and SFP+) transceiver transmit data
SR or Short Reach transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 300m over multi-mode duplex fiber. Standard wavelength for SR transceivers is 850nm
LRM transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 220m over FDDI multi-mode duplex fiber. Standard wavelength for LRM transceivers is 1310nm
LR or Long Reach transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 10km over single-mode duplex fiber. Standard wavelength for LR transceivers is 1310nm
ER or Extended Reach transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 40km over single-mode duplex fiber. Standard wavelength for ER transceivers is 1550nm
ZR also Extended Reach transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 80km over single-mode duplex fiber. Standard wavelength for ZR transceivers is 1550nm.
CWDM (Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing) transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 80km over single-mode duplex fiber. There are 8 standard wavelengths for CWDM transceivers. 1470nm, 1490nm, 1510nm, 1530nm, 1550nm, 1570nm, 1590nm, and 1610nm. Lower wavelengths are possible through custom builds.
DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) transceivers can transmit 10Gbps of data up to 80km over single-mode duplex fiber. Approximately 80 wavelengths or channels are possible ranging from 1519.48nm to 1577.03nm
FiberStore provides complete ranges of fiber optic transceivers with cheap price for sale online. 1000BASE transceivers are available in copper of fiber GBIC and SFP, including Cisco compatible versions. 10G transceivers are available from XENPARK to SFP+, Cisco compatible version including Cisco 10G SFP+, Cisco X2 (Cisco X2-10GB-SR, Cisco X2-10GB-LR, etc.).
