2023-12-19 09:22:06   Source：    Hits：

From electricity to light (and back again)

To transport all this traffic over an optical network, whether it be FC, Ethernet or SONET/SDH, a component called an optical transceiver is needed. Transceivers are wavelength-specific lasers that convert electrical data signals from data switches into optical signals. These signals can then be transmitted over the optical fiber. Each data stream is converted to a signal with a unique wavelength, meaning that it is effectively a unique light color.  The signals can be wideband 850nm, 1310nm or 1550nm, or narrow band CWDM or DWDM wavelengths.
Due to the physical properties of light, no channel can interfere with the next – they are completely separated from each other. Each channel is transparent to the speed and type of data, meaning that any mix of SAN, WAN, voice and video services can be transported simultaneously over a single fiber or fiber pair in a WDM system.
Typically, the output power and receiver sensitivity of an optical transceiver determines how far the traffic can travel. It also has a value that defines the amount of optical power available to successfully transmit signals over a distance of optical fiber. We will come back to this so-called optical power budget in our next article.

Transceiver form factors

A form factor specifies the physical dimensions of the transceiver – its shape and size. The size varies depending on speeds and protocols, and over time has tended to get bigger with increasing line speeds. In general, manufacturers design according to the Multisource Agreement (MSA). This is a standard for ensuring that the same form-factor transceivers from different vendors are compatible in size and function, ensuring interoperability.

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