A wide variety of cable and interconnect types is available to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE). Solutions vary in terms of maximum interconnect distance, power and heat, signal latency, reliability, and adaptability to future requirements. Total cost includes more than simply the cost of equipment interfaces and cables. Labor is often a major factor. Choosing a solution requires carefully evaluating each option against your application requirements.

The basic choice is between optical fiber and copper. Until recently, 10 gigabit rates could be achieved only by using optical fiber, but now standards have been established permitting the use of twisted pair. Fiber and copper can be used in the same data center with the choice for each connection based on the distance between devices to be connected. To further complicate the decision, several options are available for both fiber and copper.

Optical fiber

Fiber options include multi-mode or single-mode fiber. Multi-mode is limited to shorter distances than single-mode. Because multi-mode cable is thicker than single-mode, portions of the light beam follow different paths as they bounce back and forth between the walls of the fiber. The result is that the signal reaching the other end of the cable is distorted. The amount of distortion increases with the length of the cable. The light beam follows a single path through thinner single-mode cable, so the amount of distortion is much lower.