SFP-10G-LR vs SFP-10G-SR: Which One to Choose?

Although 40G and 100G transceivers are on the very top trend for enterprise and data center for the interconnection since 40G/100G network is racing to the future, 10G SFP+ transceiver is still considered as the mainstream form factor of the 2017 market due to its matured technology and lower price. There are various  SFP+ modules that offer 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity including SFP-10G-LR, SFP-10G-SR, 10GBASE-ER SFP+, and 10GBASE-LRM SFP+. Here, we mainly deal with two of them, SFP-10G-LR vs SFP-10G-SR.

An Overview of Cisco SFP-10G-LR and SFP-10G-SR

Before talking about Cisco SFP-10G-LR and SFP-10G-SR, let’s have a look at the Cisco 10G SFP+ modules first. Cisco 10G SFP+ modules contain the following features and benefits: it supports 10GBASE Ethernet with the smallest 10G form factor; with hot-swappable input/output device, it can be plugged into an Ethernet SFP+ port of a Cisco switch (no need to power down when installing or replacing); its digital optical monitoring capability ensures strong diagnostic capability; and it also provides much more flexibility and convenience for interface choices.

Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver is compliant with 10GBASE-SR standard. It is hot-swappable input/output device which allows a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port to link 300m in a fiber optic network. Because it is hot-swappable and MSA compliant, the Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver can be plugged directly into any Cisco SFP+ based transceiver port, without the need to power down the host network system. This capability makes moves, add-ons and exchanges quick and painless.

While Cisco 10GBASE-LR module can support a link length of 10 km on standard single-mode fiber. Compliant with 10GBase-LR standard, SFP-10G-LR can support up to 10km over single-mode fiber and uses 1310nm lasers. There is no minimum distance for LR, either, therefore it is suitable for short connections over single mode fiber, too. The following table shows a datasheet of Cisco SFP-10G-SR and SFP-10G-LR:

Difference between SFP-10G-LR and SFP-10G-SR

This difference between SFP-10G-LR and SFP-10G-SR is pretty simple. SR stands for Short Reach, and LR stands for Long Reach. SR transceivers are almost always multitude and optimized for high speeds over relatively short distances. However, the much higher-powered OM3 and OM4 formats can push that into the hundreds of meters for a single cable. While LR transceivers are designed for long-range communications, such as wiring buildings together on a large campus or even setting up a Metro Area Network (MAN). They can be either multitude or single-mode, and are almost always intended for 100m+ applications. Higher end cables and transceivers can support transmissions of several kilometers

To buy Cisco original brand transceiver may cost you a lot of money, and the question is that do you really need the Cisco original brand modules for your Cisco switch. To be frank, not every SFP+ modules can work well on the Cisco switch SFP+ ports. You must make sure of the compatibility before plugging the SFP+ transceivers on it. At FS, we provide high-quality Cisco compatible SFP-10G-SR and SFP-10G-LR modules at a low price. And we can assure you that every piece of the transceiver is individually tested on a full range of Cisco equipment and passed the monitoring of our intelligent quality control system.

Summary

After the comparison, have you got the answer for the question, SFP-10G-LR vs SFP-10G-SR: Which One to Choose? Actually, it totally depends on your actual needs. As a reliable and qualified fiber optics supplier, FS is your ideal choice for Cisco compatible SFP-10G-LR and SFP-10G-SR transceivers. For more details, please visit www.fs.com

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