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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP)

A hot-swappable transceiver module, typically 1 Gbps, that plugs into a switch or router port to provide fiber or copper connectivity.

Definition

SFP replaced the larger GBIC and lets one switch port support different media and distances by changing the module. Variants include 1000BASE-SX, LX, ZX, BiDi and copper 1000BASE-T. Some vendors restrict third-party modules.

Example

A switch uplink uses a 1000BASE-LX SFP to reach another building.

Exam tip

SFP = 1G; SFP+ = 10G; SFP28 = 25G; QSFP = four-lane.

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