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Cisco 100Gbps QSFP100 SR1.2
BiDi Pluggable Transceiver
Expanding Cisco’s BiDi portfolio
The Cisco QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi is a parallel Quad
Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP28) Bi-Direction
optical module that supports 100 Gbps bit rates. The
module integrates four host electrical data into two
optical lanes over a 2-fiber duplex LC optical multi-mode
fiber. The QSFP 100G SR1.2 BiDi operates 50Gb PAM4
channels, for a total aggregate bandwidth of 100Gb.
PAM4 technology enables 50Gb data rate with signaling
at 25Gbaud rates. Reversely, on the receiver side, the
module de-multiplexes 2 sets of optical input signal and
converts them to 4 channels of electrical data. An optical
fiber ribbon cable with an LC connector can be plugged into the QSFP28 module. The QSFP 100G SR1.2 BiDi is compliant
to IEEE802.3bm 100GBASE-SR4.
The Cisco QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi transceiver will operate with a Cisco QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi for 100G connectivity. It
can also connect to a Cisco 400 Gbps SR4.2 BiDi in a 4 x 100G breakout mode. The Cisco QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi will
not interoperate with the Cisco QSFP-40/100-SRBD.
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Benefits Figure 1 below shows all the interoperability options for Cisco’s BiDi portfolio:
Figure 1. Cisco BiDi interoperability options
• Lower capital expenditure by
reusing of the duplex LC Multimode Switch Switch
Fiber (MMF) infrastructure 400G QDD port 100G QSFP28 port
• Reduce operational expenditure by 4 x 100G Link
seamlessly upgrading to 100Gbps 400G SR4.2 BiDi 100G SR1.2 BiDi
rate from 10Gbps SR or 40Gbps BiDi
100G Link
• Future proof the network by providing 100G SR1.2 BiDi 100G SR1.2 BiDi
connectivity to 400 Gbps rate 100G Link
• Reduce transmission errors with 40G/100G BiDi 40G/100G BiDi
KP4 Forward Error Correction 40G Link
(FEC) at 100Gbps data rate 40G/100G BiDi 40G BiDi
Switch
40G QSFP+ port
40G Link
40G/100G BiDi 40G BiDi
40G Link
40G BiDi 40G BiDi
Upgrade seamlessly from 40 Gb or 10 Gb to 100 Gbps
with a path toward 400G
Mission-critical workloads such as artificial intelligence and machine learning are increasing the
computation and traffic requirements within the fabric. This is driving a move to denser and higher-speed
connectivity both within the leaf and spine and between the leaf/top-of-rack switch to the server.
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In Figure 2 below, the, 400Gbps SR4.2 can be deployed in the spine layer, which is the backbone of the network, connecting to the leaf node in a breakout
model. An alternative option would be to deploy the QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi in both the spine and leaf nodes, with a path toward upgrading the spine nodes to
400G as bandwidth demand grows.
Figure 2. Leaf spine connectivity using QSFP-100G-SR1.2 optics
Data Center Topology with Leaf Spine Architecture
Spine
<500m - Leaf to Spine QDD-400G-SR4.2
Leaf QSFP-100G-SR1.2 QSFP-100G-SR1.2 QSFP-100G-SR1.2 QSFP-100G-SR1.2 QSFP-100G-SR1.2
Top-of-Rack
Server
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Learn more In Figure 3 below, given the reach and operational flexibility with pluggable transceivers compared to
preassembled cable, operators may use the QSFP-100G-SR1.2 BiDi for top-of-rack connectivity to the
For more information about Cisco servers or deploy 400G in the TOR and connect downstream to the server using 1 x QDD-400G-SR4.2
transceivers, see: www.cisco. to 4 x QSFP-100G-SR1.2 in a breakout model.
com/c/en/us/products/interfaces- Figure 3. Switch to server connectivity using QSFP-100G-SR1.2 optics
modules/transceiver-modules/index.
html?dtid=osscdc000283 Data Center Topology with Switch to Server Connectivity
For optics-to-optics and optics-to- QDD-400G-SR4.2
platform compatibility, see: https://
QSFP-100G-SR1.2
tmgmatrix.cisco.com/
For optics product information, Top-of-Rack
Middle-of-Row End-of-Row
see: https://copi.cisco.com/?tpid=1622
1m ADC
QSFP-100G-SR1.2 QSFP-100G-SR1.2
2m
5m
3m
DAC
10m
30m 50m 100m
DAC
Server 1 Server 2 Server 3 Server N-2 Server N-1 Server N
DAC AOC Pluggable
Much like the Cisco 40Gb BiDi and the Cisco 40/100Gbps BiDi transceiver, the Cisco QSFP-100G-SR1.2
BiDi allows data center operators to reuse their existing duplex LC-connectorized MMF infrastructure as
they upgrade from 10G SR or 40Gb BiDi to 100G SR1.2 BiDi. By upgrading network equipment one end at a
time, operators can exercise flexibility in schedules and budgets.
© 2022 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other
countries. To view a list of Cisco trademarks, go to this URL: www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners.
The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1110R) C45-3063056-00 08/22
