Why Data Center 10G/40G Networks Should be Upgraded to 25G/100G? - NADDOD Blog

Why Data Center 10G/40G Networks Should be Upgraded to 25G/100G?

NADDOD Jason Data Center Architect Dec 12, 2022

With the explosive growth of cloud computing, IoT, and the high throughput supported by server and storage solutions, data center bandwidth needs to grow to meet the massive data flow demands of the cloud today and in the future. High bandwidth is undeniably driving the data center toward greater scalability and flexibility. Existing 10G/40G networks can no longer meet demand, and 25G/100G upgrade solutions are driving data center networks toward higher performance and flexibility as a high-bandwidth, high-density, low-cost, low-power solution.

25G Ethernet Takes Over From 10G Ethernet

Why can 25G Ethernet take over 10G Ethernet? NADDOD believes that while four 10GbE physical lanes can be aggregated to achieve 40G, these solutions are more expensive and more power efficient than 25G. On the other hand, 25G solutions offer the benefits of enhanced compute and storage efficiency compared to 10G, providing higher bandwidth, faster connections and the ability to run two 25G channels for 50G or four channels for 100G, balancing capital and operating expenses when transitioning to next-generation networks. Moreover, 25GbE is also backward compatible and can communicate with 10G, so adding new servers will still work with existing network equipment. 25G’s ease of migration, cost/performance balance, and real-time visibility into the network will drive the transition to 25G for next-generation data to take advantage of its faster port speeds and 25G cost curve.

The Advantages of 10G/40G Upgrade to 25G/100G

1. Cost reduction

The 25G/100G solution has significant advantages in terms of cost.

Fiber can be multiplexed: Through fiber multiplexing, this solution can effectively reduce fiber costs while increasing network bandwidth.

High port density: 25G devices have a high port density.

Optical transceiver compatibility: 25G SFP28 optical transceiver and 100G QSFP28 optical transceiver can be compatible with 10G SFP+ and 40G QSFP+ optical transceivers of existing networks, and the upgrade process can be carried out in steps, thus reducing the initial investment.

2. Improve network bandwidth

The 25G/100G solution can greatly increase the network bandwidth. The bandwidth of the data link between the leaf-spine is increased to 2.5 times the 10G/40G, while the upstream and downstream bandwidth convergence ratio remains the same. The bandwidth convergence ratio remains unchanged, and the user experience remains the same as the original network.

Improve Network Bandwidth

3. The port can be backward compatible, with high flexibility

25G SFP28 (MSA standard SFF 8431) optical transceivers and 10G SFP+ (MSA standard SFF 8431) optical transceivers are packaged in the same way, 25G ports can use 10G optical transceivers, port rate adaptive to 10G. 40G QSFP+ (MSA standard SFF 8436) optical transceivers and 100G QSFP28 (MSA standard SFF 8665) optical transceivers are packaged in the same way, 100G ports can use 40G optical transceivers, port rate adaptive to 40G. The 40G QSFP+ (MSA standard SFF 8436) optical transceiver and 100G QSFP28 (MSA standard SFF 8665) optical transceiver are packaged in the same way, and the 100G port can use 40G optical transceiver with port rate adaption to 40G.
Therefore, the optical transceivers of 25G/100G scheme are more compatible, and the network can be upgraded when upgrading the equipment first, and then gradually completing the replacement of optical transceivers according to the plan to finally realize the overall upgrade of the network.

Comparison of 10G 25G 40G 100G Optical Module Parameters

4. No rewiring, saving fiber cost

The fiber used for 10G/40G network can continue to be used in 25G/100G network, which can avoid rewiring as much as possible and make network upgrades more convenient. 25G SFP28 optical transceiver and 10G SFP+ optical transceiver both use LC connectors, so the single-mode and multi-mode fiber used for 10G network can continue to be used in 25G network without exceeding the maximum transmission distance. Both 40G QSFP+ optical transceivers and 100G QSFP28 optical transceivers support either MPO or LC interfaces, and the fiber has essentially the same transmission distance. Single-mode and multi-mode fibers used for 40G networks can continue to be used in 100G networks.

NADDOD 25G/100G Optical Transceiver and Cables Recommendation

Before the release of 25G Ethernet standard, the networks of enterprises, carriers and other data centers were generally using 10G/40G. With the official release of 25G Ethernet standard, the 25G/100G network upgrade has gained more applications with the advantages of low cost, low power consumption and high density, driving the data center network toward higher performance and flexibility, and providing a solid foundation for 200G/400G The upgrade of 200G/400G has laid a solid foundation.

As a leading supplier of optical network solutions, NADDOD has the industry’s first-class R&D, manufacturing and technical service capabilities to provide professional, high-quality, comprehensive technical support services and complete 25G optical transceiver and 100G optical transceiver solutions to help smoothly upgrade data center optical networks. Among them, 10/25G dual-rate optical transceiver is a more cost-effective 25G/100G network upgrade solution with high flexibility, applicable to both the current 10G network and 25G network. For network deployment, the use of 10/25G dual-rate optical transceivers can also easily achieve network upgrades without replacing optical transceivers and cables, greatly reducing network upgrade costs.

NADDOD 25G 100G Optical Transceivers