XFP is a heat exchange, independent of the communication protocol of the optical transceiver, usually the size is 850nm, 1310nm or 1550nm, for 10Gbps SONET / SDH, Fiber Channel, gigabit Ethernet, 10 gigabit Ethernet and other applications, Also includes DWDM links. The XFP contains a digital diagnostic module similar to SFF-8472, but has been extended to provide robust management tools. The XFI electrical interface specification is part of the XFP Multi Source Agreement specification.

SFP can be easily understood as an upgraded version of the GBIC. The SFP module (which is half the size of the GBIC module and can be configured with more than twice the number of ports on the same panel. Since the SFP module is functionally consistent with the GBIC, Some switch manufacturers are called miniaturized GBIC (Mini-GBIC) .SFP module by adding CDR and electro-dispersion compensation on the outside of the module, SFP and more compressed size and power consumption.

SFP + is a new generation of 10 Gigabit optical module, which in accordance with the ANSI T11 protocol, to meet the Fiber Channel 8.5G and Ethernet 10G applications. SFP + is about 30% smaller than the earlier XFP optical module, and is the same as the conventional 1-4G SFP optical module. SFP + only retains the basic electro-optical, photoelectric conversion function, reducing the original XFP design SerDes, CDR, EDC, SFP+ MAC and other signal control functions, thus simplifying the 10G optical module design, power consumption and thus smaller. SFP + has the advantages of high density, low power consumption, lower system construction cost and so on. SFP+ The product is widely used in the field of 10 Gigabit Ethernet optical fiber data communication, which is the mainstream product of 10GU module.

SFP optical module form: laser and circuit boards, IC, and external accessories, and external accessories there are shell, cradle, PCBA, griphook, clip, unlock, rubber composition, in order to identify easy to pull colors to distinguish the module's parameter types.