The operating principle of CFP Optical Transceiver
The CFP module can be a hot pluggable form factor designed for optical networking applications. CFP is certainly acronym from 100G (C = 100 in Roman numerals; Centum) Form factor Pluggable. As name suggests, CFP is introduced to serve as optical transceiver for 100G interfaces. There are many CFP types introduced - CFP, CFP2 and CFP4, but let’s start with general CFP architecture. General CFP architecture of CFP divides in two parts - Electrical interface getting together with equipment line card interface and optical line interface. From tools line card electrical interface aspect CFP has several “M-Lines” with will work 10Gbps speed and separate management interface used for clock & signaling data. If CFP is normally working 100GBase-LR4 mode, then it has 10 x 10Gbps M-Lines, if 40GBase-LR4 mode, then 4 x 10Gbps M-Lines. So called “Gear Box” is electrical 10:4 Mux/DeMux module aggregating up to 10 M-Line interfaces in maximum 4 N-Line interfaces. In the event of ...