SFP Slot Definition and Its User Guideline

It is obvious that optical transceiver is widely used in telecommunication and data center. Speaking of this, SFP module is inevitably involved. However, have you ever heard of SFP and SFP slot? Do you have any idea about how to use SFP slots? If not, read through this post to find what SFP slot is and how to use it.

What Is SFP Slot?

What is SFP port/slot? To figure this out, you must know what SFP is in the first place.

SFP, an acronym of small form-factor pluggable, is a compact and hot-pluggable transceiver used for both telecommunication and data communication applications. It connects motherboards of network devices (such as switches and routers) with optical or copper cables. By doing this, it converts Gigabit electrical signals into optical signals, and vice versa.

Therefore, just as its name implies, SFP slot is designed for use with SFP transceivers or modules. It offers a place where a SFP transceiver can plug into and then support fiber connection or copper cable connection. Different connection can support different transmission speed and distance. Normally, a Gigabit SFP inserted into a SFP port can reach a speed of up to 1 Gbps!

How to Use the SFP Slot?

SFP slot is also known as SFP port. Thus, this question can be referred to as how to use SFPs with SFP ports. SFP and SFP port usually work in pairs. That is to say, you should use SFP slot with a corresponding SFP. Normally, optical transceivers used in SFP slots can be divided into optical and copper SFPs. They can be used on a wide variety of products and intermixed in combinations of 1000BASE-T, 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX/LH, 1000BASE-EX, 1000BASE-ZX, or 1000BASE-BX10-D/U on a port-by-port basis.

The common match for SFP ports are copper SFP module applied with network cable and fiber SFP module applied with fiber optic cable. Network cable or copper cable includes Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, etc. While, fiber optic cable includes single mode fiber and multimode fiber. Therefore, if you want to know how to use SFP slot, you need to know how to choose right copper SFP modules or fiber SFP modules for SFP slots. As for how to choose the right SFP modules, go ahead for more details in the next two paragraphs.

Copper SFP module for SFP Slot

A copper SFP module inserted into a SFP port has a RJ45 connector. It can transmit data within 100m over copper twisted pair cable. And the data transmission rate can reach up to 1000 Mbps. It is normally divided into two types, 1000BASE-T and 1000BASE-TX copper SFP. The former uses the IEEE 802.3ab standard using four bidirectional copper pairs, and each pair supports a data rate of 250 Mbps. While, the latter uses the TIA/EIA-854 standard using two unidirectional copper pairs (one pair for transmitting, one for receiving), each of which supports a data rate of 500 Mbps.

Fiber SFP module for SFP Slot

A fiber SFP module inserted into a SFP port has a LC duplex interface. It consists of seven types, namely 1000BASE-SX, 1000BASE-LX, 1000BASE-LX10, 1000BASE-LX/LH, 1000BASE-LH, 1000BASE-EX and 1000BASE-ZX. They are used under different circumstances shown in the picture below:

Conclusion

From all the above, you may have a general understanding of what a SFP slot is and how to use it properly. SFP ports are found in Ethernet switches, routers, firewalls and network interface cards, etc. If you want to transfer data in 100m, then either a copper SFP or fiber SFP is a right choice to match the SFP port. If you want to transfer data over 100m, then a fiber SFP is needed.

Original source: http://www.cables-solutions.com/sfp-slot-wiki.html

What Is the Purpose of a Switch in Networking?

A switch may refer to one of many different things. For example, it may refer to part of the physical circuit components that control the flow of signals. It can be a button or lever to turn a device on or off. However, the switch we discussed in this post is a switch or fiber optic switch in networking. Then, what is a switch in networking? What is the purpose of a switch? Let’s find out together in the following text.

What Is a Switch in Networking?

In a network, a switch is a hardware device that filters and forwards network packets from one networking device (switch, router, computer, server, etc.) to another. It is widely used in local area networks (LANs) to send each incoming message frame by looking at the physical device address, known as the Media Access Control address (MAC address).

Actually, a switch is considered as a multiport network bridge that uses hardware addresses to process and forward data at the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI model. Some switches can also process data at the network layer (layer 3) by combining routing functions. Such switches are often referred to as layer 3 switches or multilayer switches.

What Is the Purpose of a Switch in Networking?

You may have a blurry understanding about the function of switch in networking simply from its definition. Then, what is the purpose of a switch on earth? Listed below are main purposes or functions of switches:

• Connect multiple hosts: Normally, a switch provides a large number of ports for cable connections, allowing for star topology routing. It is usually used to connect multiple PCs to the network.
• Forwards a message to a specific host: Like a bridge, a switch uses the same forwarding or filtering logic on each port. When any host on the network or a switch sends a message to another host on the same network or the same switch, the switch receives and decodes the frames to read the physical (MAC) address portion of the message.
• Manage traffic: A switch in networking can manage traffic either coming into or exiting the network and can connect devices like computers and access points with ease.
• Keep electrical signal undistorted: When a switch forwards a frame, it regenerates an undistorted square electrical signal.
• Increase LAN bandwidth: A switch divides a LAN into multiple collision domains with independent broadband, thus greatly increasing the bandwidth of the LAN.

Applications of Switches in Networking

Nowadays, switches are used almost everywhere from small office/home office (SOHO) to major ISPs (Internet Service Providers). You can use them at home office or small-sized area as you wish. For these places, a 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet switch is enough. In addition, there are many switches that feature high speed uplink ports to offer speed of 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps, or even 100 Gbps! These high-speed switches are commonly adopted by enterprises for data center construction. Under such circumstance, you may need a 10GbE switch or 40/100G switch.

Conclusion

From all the above, you may have a general understanding of “what is the purpose of a switch in networking?”. In addition to connecting networked devices, a switch plays an important role in traffic management, message forwarding, bandwidth increase, etc.

Original source: http://www.fiberopticshare.com/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-switch-in-networking.html

Managed Switch vs Router: Difference Between Router and Switch

“I am going to buy a managed switch for my business network. I wonder whether a managed switch can act as a router or not. What’s the difference between managed switch vs router? Can someone help? Thanks in advance!”

Nowadays, managed switch has become increasing popular in most business networks to connect computers, printers, servers, etc. in a building or within a campus. However, another networking device, router, is also widely used to connect different devices, for example, computers. Then, what is the difference between managed switch vs router? Next, let’s read through this post to find the answer.

What Is a Managed Switch?

A managed switch is a configurable network switch, which offers greater security, flexibility, and capacity than an unmanaged switch or normal switch. It serves as a controller, enabling networked devices to talk to each other efficiently. As a network switch, it works at the second layer (data link layer) of the OSI reference model.

Managed switches are usually used to offer the most comprehensive functions for a network. Endowed with various function managements such as VLAN, CLI, SNMP, IP routing, QoS, etc, a managed switch is often seen in the core layer of a network, especially in large and complex data centers. With the increasing needs, parts of the most common two network switches, Gigabit Ethernet switch and 10GbE switch, are designed as managed switches.

Here is a related video of a managed switch from FS, you can learn more about how to use it and the multiple functions it supports:

What Is a Router?

A router is a networking device that connects to various local area networks and wide area networks in the Internet. It allows multiple computers or devices to connect to the Internet through a single connection. It transfers packets of data between networks to establish and sustain communication between two nodes in an internetwork. Besides, it automatically selects and sets routes according to the channel conditions, and sends signals in the optimal path in order.

Router works at the third layer (network layer) of the OSI model. A router uses the destination IP address in a data packet to determine where to forward the packet. In addition, it manages the flow of data so that each computer gets the right information it needs. Routers also can be used to connect multiple networks.

Managed Switch vs Router: Difference Between Router and Switch
Speaking of managed switch vs router, there are many aspects for comparison. Listed below are main differences between them:

• Layer: Managed witch works at data link layer (layer 2) while router works at network layer (layer 3).
• Function: Managed switch can connect multiple devices and manage ports and VLAN settings. However, router just directs data in a network and passes them between computers or between computers and the modem.
• Firewall service: Routers offer firewall service while managed switches don’t.
• Address used for data transmission: A managed switch uses Mac address while a router uses IP address.
• Ports: Normally, a router only has 4 LAN ports and one WAN port, while switches have much more ports such as 12, 24, 48, etc.
• Applications: Routers are used to connect two or more different networks, while managed switches are used to connect two or more nodes in the same network.

Conclusion

Among all the differences, the biggest difference between a managed switch vs router is their operation layers. Managed switch operates at layer 2 (data link layer), while router operates at layer 3 (network layer). However, routers and switches are both computer networking devices that allow one or more computers to be connected to other computers, networked devices, or to other networks. Therefore, sometimes, they can be used for the same purpose.

Original source: http://www.fiberopticshare.com/managed-switch-vs-router.html

What Is Layer 3 Switch?

Layer 3 switch has roused much attention with the quick renovation of the network upgrade. It plays an important role in data exchange inside a large local area network. Then, what is layer 3 switch? Read this post to learn more about layer 3 switch involved with the comparison of layer 3 switch vs layer 2 and layer 3 switch vs router.

What Is Layer 3 Switch and Layer 3 Switching?

What is layer 3 switch? Simply to say, a layer 3 switch is a network switch with some router functions. The most important purpose of the layer 3 switch is to speed up the data exchange within a large LAN. The routing function is also used for this purpose. It can accomplish one route and multiple packet forwarding processes.

Regular processes such as packet forwarding are implemented by hardware at high speed, while functions such as routing information update, routing table maintenance, route calculation, and route determination are implemented by software. Layer 3 switching technology is layer 2 switching technology combining with layer 3 forwarding technology. The traditional switching technology is operated in the second layer of the OSI network standard model (the data link layer), and the third layer switching technology implements the high-speed forwarding of data packets in the third layer of the network model. It not only realizes the network routing function but also achieves optimal network performance according to different network conditions.

Layer 3 Switch vs Layer 2

Why Is Layer 3 Switch Popular?

Normally, for the sake of safety and management with convenience, a LAN is divided into small LANs according to different factors such as function or geography to reduce the harm of broadcast storms. Therefore, VLAN technology is applied in a large number of networks. However, communication between different VLANs must be forwarded through routers. Such inter-network access is limited because of the limited number of ports and the slower routing speed. Based on this situation, a three-layer switch emerges. The layer 3 switch is designed for IP. The interface type is simple and has strong layer 2 packet processing capability. It is very suitable for data routing and switching in large LANs. In the third layer of the protocol, the function of the traditional router is replaced or partially completed, and at the same time it has almost the speed of the second layer exchange, and the price is relatively cheaper.

Advantages of Layer 3 Switch

From the paragraph above, you may have a blurry concept when it comes to layer 3 switch vs layer 2. Don’t worry. Here are the main advantages of layer 3 switch when comparing layer 3 switch vs layer 2:

• Function: A layer 2 switch can only switch packets from one port to another, whereas a layer 3 switch is capable of both switching as well as routing.
• MAC vs. IP Address: Layer 2 switches use devices’ MAC addresses to redirect data packets from source port to destination port. While, layer 3 switches use IP addresses to link various subnets together utilizing special routing protocols.
• Applications: Layer 2 switch is hardware-based switch and uses ASICs (application specific integrated circuits) to maintain MAC address table. It uses layer 2 switching to break up a large domain into multiple smaller domains. Layer 3 switch is a mix of switch and router, which is commonly used for routing within virtual LANs (VLANs).
• Speed: Normally, switches operating at layer 2 take less time than that operating at layer 3. Layer 2 switches just need to assign MAC addresses to reroute packets from source port to destination port in layer 2 switching.

Layer 3 Switch vs Router

In addition to layer 2 switch, router is another concept which is usually referred to when concerned with layer 3 switch. This is obvious to find from layer 3 switch definition. Then, what are their differences when comparing layer 3 switch vs router? Look at the following aspects:

• Main function: The main function of a router is the routing function. The same is true for layer 3 switch as well. It is still a switch product but with some basic routing functions. Its main function is still data exchange.
• Main applicable environment: The routing function of a layer 3 switch is usually relatively simple, because it is mainly a simple LAN connection. The router is designed mainly to meet different types of network connections including LANs and WANs. Its main function is routing and forwarding.
• Differ in performance: Technically, routers and layer 3 switches have significant differences in packet switching operations. Routers typically perform packet switching by a microprocessor-based software routing engine, while layer 3 switches perform packet switching through hardware.

Conclusion

After all the above, you may get clearer about “what is layer 3 switch” and the main difference between layer 3 switch vs layer 2 and layer 3 switch vs router. In short, a layer 3 switch can implement both switching as well as routing function. It can define a plurality of ports as one virtual network, and it has no limit to the transmission bandwidth between networks.

Original source: http://www.cables-solutions.com/what-is-layer-3-switch.html

What Is Fiber Optic Cable and How Does It Work?

With the increasing needs for quicker data transmission speed in network, fiber optic cable is getting increasingly popular over the past few years. However, some people may still be all at sea of what fiber optic cable is. What is fiber optic cable and how does it work? Read this post below to get information about fiber optic cable definition and how a fiber optic cable works.

What Is Fiber Optic Cable?

Fiber optic cable, also know as optical fiber cable, is a type of Ethernet cable which consists of one or more optic fibers that are used to transmit data. It is an assembly similar to an electrical cable while it is used to carry light and the fiber optic cable price is much higher than that of copper cable. Designed to use light pulses, fiber optic cables support long distance telecommunication and high-speed data transmission. Normally, fiber optic cable can run at a speed of 10 Gbps, 40 Gbps and even 100 Gbps. Therefore, it is widely used in much of the world’s internet, cable television and telephone systems.

What Is Fiber Optic Cable Composed Of?

Generally, one fiber optic cable is made up of five parts: core, cladding, coating, strengthening, and outer jacket. The “core” is incredibly thin strands of glass or plastic known as optical fibers. The “cladding” is an insulated casing closely surround the “core” providing lower refractive index to make the optical fiber work. The ”coating” is a protective layer of the optical fiber. The “strengthening”, or strengthen member, helps to protect the core against crushing forces and excessive tension during installation. As the name implies, an outer jacket is used to protect the cable from environmental hazards.

How Does Fiber Optic Cable Work?

After solving “what is fiber optic cable”, “how it works” may be the top question related to it. Actually, light travels down a fiber optic cable by bouncing repeatedly off the walls. The fiber core and the cladding bend the incoming light at a certain angle with their own refractive index. When light signals are sent through the fiber optic cable, they reflect off the core and cladding in a series of bounces, which a process called total internal reflection.

Fiber Optic Cable Types

Normally, fiber optic cable comes in two types, namely, single mode fiber (SMF) and multimode fiber (MMF). Single mode fiber has a very thin core about 5-10 microns in diameter while multimode fiber has a core diameter about 10 times of a single mode fiber. Generally, single mode optical fibers used in telecommunications operate at 1310nm or 1550nm wavelength while multimode fiber at 850nm and 1300nm. Compared with single mode fiber, multimode fiber has a limited transmission distance by model dispersion because it has a large core size and supports more than one light mode (from OM1 to OM5). Single mode fiber is suitable for long distance applications such as 100km between buildings while multimode optical fiber is used in short distance transmission within buildings such as computer network linking.

Conclusion

From all the above, you may have a general understanding of what fiber optic cable is and its working theory. Designed to use light pulses, optical fiber can offer quicker data transmission speed. In addition, it can meet different needs in transmission distance with both SMF and MMF.

Original source: http://www.fiberopticshare.com/what-is-fiber-optic-cable.html