Norwegian Certified Single-Fiber Bidirectional QSFP

Single-fiber bidirectional QSFP modules enable 100G full-duplex transmission over a single fiber using WDM technology, reducing fiber usage while maintaining high-speed connectivity.

Overview

Single-fiber bidirectional (BiDi) QSFP modules, such as the 100G QSFP28 BiDi, are optical transceivers that transmit and receive data simultaneously over a single single-mode fiber (SMF). They achieve this by using Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM), assigning different wavelengths for upstream and downstream communication, allowing full-duplex 100Gbps connectivity without requiring two separate fibers .

Key Features

• High-Speed Transmission: Supports 100Gbps data rates, suitable for high-bandwidth interconnects .
• Single-Fiber Operation: Reduces fiber usage by half compared to traditional dual-fiber solutions like 100G LR4/ER4, lowering fiber procurement and rental costs .
• Transmission Distances: Typically supports 10 km, 20 km, 40 km, and up to 80 km depending on the module and technology used .
• Plug-and-Play: Designed for easy deployment and compatibility with mainstream switches and routers .
• Low Power and Cost Efficiency: Single-fiber operation reduces overall system power consumption, latency, and cost .

Applications

• Data Center Interconnects (DCI): Ideal for connecting data centers where fiber resources are limited .
• Metro Networks: Enables efficient high-speed links in urban networks without extensive fiber infrastructure .
• Network Upgrades: Provides a cost-effective path to upgrade existing 10G or 40G networks to 100G without replacing all fiber cabling .

Technology Variants

• Direct Detection BiDi: Uses simple direct detection for distances up to 80 km, suitable for low-latency, low-power applications .
• Coherent BiDi QSFP: Integrates dual tunable lasers and digital coherent optics (DCO) for longer reach and higher capacity, enabling IP-over-DWDM transmission and up to 10x capacity expansion on existing fiber infrastructure .
• Cisco 100G BiDi Modules: Operate in the O-band with NRZ modulation, supporting up to 20 km on single SMF and can be paired for 200Gbps bandwidth with network resiliency .

Advantages

• Fiber Conservation: Halves the number of fibers required for 100G links.
• Cost Reduction: Lowers fiber procurement, installation, and operational costs.
• Scalability: Supports network expansion without major infrastructure changes.
• Flexibility: Compatible with various network architectures, including data centers, metro, and aggregation networks . In summary, Norwegian single-fiber bidirectional QSFP modules provide a high-performance, cost-efficient solution for 100G connectivity, leveraging WDM technology to maximize fiber utilization while supporting long-distance, low-latency, and scalable network deployments .