SFP (1 Gbps)
Direct Answer
Small Form-Factor Pluggable (SFP, also known as mini-GBIC) is a hot-pluggable network interface transceiver standardized under INF-8074i / SFF-8074. Operating across a single electrical channel, it supports data rates up to 1.25 Gbps for Gigabit Ethernet and 4.25 Gbps for Fibre Channel using duplex LC optical interfaces or RJ45 copper.
Source: SFF Committee INF-8074i / SFF-8472
Specs
| Standard / MSA | INF-8074i / SFF-8074 |
| Form Factor | SFP (Mini-GBIC) |
| Electrical Channels | 1-lane |
| Max Data Rate (Ethernet) | 1.25 Gbps |
| Max Data Rate (Fibre Channel) | 4.25 Gbps |
| Optical Connector | Duplex LC (or RJ45 copper) |
| Hot Pluggable | Yes |
| Typical Power Consumption | 0.5–1.0 W |
| Digital Diagnostics Monitoring | SFF-8472 (DOM / DDM optional) |
Mini-GBIC Architecture
Introduced around 2001 to replace the physically bulky Gigabit Interface Converter (GBIC), SFP offered more than double the port density on switch line cards.
SFP operates over a 20-pin card-edge connector. Standard physical variants include 1000BASE-SX (850nm multi-mode fiber up to 550m), 1000BASE-LX (1310nm single-mode fiber up to 10km), 1000BASE-ZX (1550nm up to 80km), and 1000BASE-T (RJ45 copper up to 100m).
Form Factor Legacy
The mechanical cage dimensions and latching mechanism of SFP established the foundational physical footprint for future generations, including SFP+, SFP28, SFP56, and SFP-DD.