Before entering today’s new topic, let’s have a brief review of the last subject—SFP+ cable. As we all know, SFP+ DAC cables transmit 10Gbps signals over copper cabling. Well, 10GBASE-T is a different kind of technology which transmits data via copper cable. As both are 10G copper cabling solutions, which one do you choose? In this article, we will discuss 10GBASE-T vs SFP+, what are their pros and cons.

Introduction of 10GBASE-T

10GBASE-T, a standard released in 2006, is specifically designed for high speed 10 Gigabit Ethernet communication over unshielded or shielded twisted pair cables. It is compliant with the Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) and 10GBASE-T, 5GBASE-T, 2.5GBASE-T, 1000BASE-T standards as specified in IEEE STD 802.3an, 802.3ab and 802.3au. 10GBASE-T provides users with not only backward compatibility with their existing networks but also flexibility in network designs, helping users to protect their investment in existing copper cabling infrastructure. Moreover, 10GBASE-T can be used for long-reach networks up to 100 meters or short-reach networks as short as a few feet.

The new 10GBASE-T SFP+ transceiver module delivers the flexibility and port density well known to the SFP+ form-factor, utilizing Cat 6a UTP structured cabling for network connectivity. It is a power optimized solution for lengths up to 30m, engineered to deliver a minimum power saving of at least 0.5W per port compared to an equivalent embedded 10GBASE-T RJ45 for the same length (Cat 6a, up to 30m). As the first transceiver that offers 10GbE communication over copper, 10GBase-T SFP+ module delivers what you need most in your network connections: reliable performance.

SFP+ Direct Attach VS 10GBASE-T

The overall information have been listed in the above chart. To help you understand further, let’s translate it into words. 10GBASE-T transceivers are commonly used for 10MB, 100MB and 1GB network connections, while SFP+ Direct Attach Cable only for 10Gigabit Ethernet Network. In many cases, 10GBASE-T can reduce the deployment cost and is easier to install and migrate. 10GBASE-T can offer more design flexibility using a structured cabling approach for longer distances up to 100 meters. A structured cabling approach means that Category 6A cables can be field terminated on patch panels to any length for clean, slack-free cable management. However, SFP+ DAC offers less than 10m distance, and they are factory terminated and must be purchased in pre-determined length. But it is worth mentioning that SFP+ DAC can intermix fiber and DAC freely to meet distance requirements. SFP+ DAC also offers better latency—typically about 0.3 microseconds per link, while 10GBASE-T latency is about 2.6 microseconds per link due to more complex encoding within the equipment.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, both 10GBASE-T transceiver and SFP+ direct attach cable have their own advantages and benefits. It is not easy to conclude which one is better. When it comes to the trade-off between them, you need to consider you actual requirements in the first place. With equipment from multiple vendors available in the marketplace, the next step you need to take is just give the rest to FS.COM, because it will provide you with the best quality and reasonable price.