Optical Transceiver

What is QSFP-DD Transceiver: A Beginner Guide (2022)

Posted on by Robert
QSFP-DD
07
Mar

This article is updated on July 14, 2022

QSFP-DD transceiver is becoming increasingly popular in data center applications nowadays. In this beginner’s guide, we will take a closer look at the QSFP-DD transceiver, introduce the QSFP-DD MSA and compare QSFP-DD with QSFP28.

Table of Contents

What Drives QSFP-DD Development?

With the rapid development of data centers and the development of 5G, the continuous increase in data volume has driven the density and power limitations of servers, switches, and other network equipment. The data center must support faster processing, greater bandwidth, and higher density without sacrificing reliability. Network components cannot introduce bandwidth bottlenecks, and their temperature cannot exceed design limits.

The QSFP-DD (Dual Density) technology will address the density, bandwidth, and thermal issues that arise from the first bandwidth requirements of mobile and IoT devices. Double density means that the number of high-speed electrical interfaces supported by the QSFP-DD transceiver module is double that of the standard QSFP28 module.

QSFP-DD Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) group defines the detailed QSFP-DD specification and related guide. Now let us take a look at the QSFP-DD MSA in detail.

QSFP-DD MSA Introduction

The QSFP-DD MSA working Group was formed in March 2016 to address the market’s need for next-generation, high-density, high-speed pluggable, backward-compatible module form factors. The MSA Working Group successfully released the 3.0 version of the hardware specification, providing extensive support for the market and overcoming the technical challenges encountered when developing a QSFP28-compatible dual-density interface.

The QSFP-DD specification identifies mechanical, electrical, and thermal management requirements that enable multi-vendor interoperability.

The latest QSFP-DD MSA is version 6.2, which was released on March 12, 2022. It is the ninth revision and update of the agreement since it was first published in September 2016. Version 6.2 of the agreement introduces some changes and enhancements to the specification.

Click to download the latest QSFP-DD MSA or visit their official website.

What is QSFP-DD Transceiver?

The QSFP-DD pluggable transceiver supports quadrupling the bandwidth of traditional QSFP modules, allowing network equipment to keep pace with advances in ASIC technology. The system designed for the QSFP module will be backward compatible with the existing QSFP form factor, providing greater flexibility for end users, network platform designers, and integrators.

The hardware specification of QSFP-DD version 6.2 defines a module and the stack height of the integrated box/connector system and the single height box/connector system. The MSA redefines the range of QSFP shape factors, an industry-leading, multichannel, pluggable form factor commonly used in Ethernet, Fibre Channel, and InfiniBand.

The initially released QSFP can run on 40 Gbps and 100 Gbps network applications, while the current QSFP-DD can aggregate up to 800 Gbps on 8 x 100 Gbps electrical interfaces.

QSFP-DD vs. QSFP28 Transceiver, What is the difference?

The QSFP28 has data transfer rates of up to 28 Gbps per channel in four lanes, supporting next-generation 100 Gbps Ethernet and 100 Gbps InfiniBand. It is now prevalent in data center computing, switches, routers, and storage. With enhanced data rate applications, the QSFP28 can transmit data rates up to 25 Gbps per serial channel, with excellent signal integrity, EMI protection, and cooling.

QSFP-DD is similar to the current QSFP, but some differences remain. With NRZ modulation, each channel of the QSFP-DD can support data rates up to 25G, thus supporting a total data rate of 200G. If modulated through PAM4, the QSFP-DD transceiver can support data rates up to 400G, and each channel supports a data rate of 50G. The MSA Group also announced that QSFP-DD could achieve a total bandwidth of up to 14.4 Tbps in a single switch slot, which meets the growing bandwidth requirements.

Final Words

Do you now have a better understanding of QSFP-DD transceiver modules? As the data center and high-performance computing market continue to evolve, new standards and technologies like QSFP-DD will be developed to keep up with the demand for higher bandwidth and data transfer rates.

If you’re looking for a QSFP-DD transceiver, Optcore is a great place to start your search. We offer a wide selection of QSFP-DD transceivers that are compatible with a variety of networks and applications.

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Robert

Robert, as a proficient editor in OPTCORE, specializes in optical networking. His expertise provides insightful information regarding the latest advancements in optical transceivers, optical cabling, and networking technologies.

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