Real World Benefits of Deploying VSFF Solutions with Gen7 SAN Directors

In today’s data center infrastructure, connector density is no longer an added benefit, but a requirement. Many customers don’t think they need Very Small Form Factor (VSFF) connectors in their environments because most fiber distribution enclosures provide sufficient density. However, a significant pain point is being felt at the endpoints of the links, at the optical transceiver. As bandwidth requirements explode, sometimes the 2-Fiber Duplex LC-based module doesn’t support the fiber lanes required to deliver higher bandwidth network applications. Although the transceiver has enough optical lanes to support the network application, active equipment vendors are still striving to maximize port-level density.

For example, let’s look at the Gen7 Storage Area Network (SAN) Director offering. Previously, vendors were delivering 32GB Fibre Channel (FC) with Duplex LC Small Form Factor Pluggable (SFP) transceivers. To double the amount of bandwidth to 64GB FC, Gen7 SAN vendors moved to the Small Form-Factor Pluggable Double Density transceiver to deliver 64 ports of 64GB FC. Duplex LC transceivers could only max out at 32 ports in a single blade due to their size. By switching to a SN® form factor connector, Gen7 SAN Director manufacturers can get 64 connectors in the same 32 port footprint that was available when using Duplex LC SFP transceivers. This higher density enables SAN director owners to double their fibre channel bandwidth and also double the port density simply by changing to a VSFF connector.

How Small is the VSFF Connector?

Gen7 SAN vendors were able to double the density of their high-end SAN chassis by changing to a smaller connector. Just how small is this connector?

^{The answer is small, generally one-third the size of an equivalent 2F Duplex LC connector. As Image 2 shows, switching to a Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable (QSFP) form factor transceiver will also allow four SN® connectors in one pluggable module, used for breakout applications.}

Maximizing Port Density and Double Bandwidth

VSFF connectors maximize port density and double bandwidth by shrinking the connector size. The ability to pack the most ports in the smallest footprint provides vendors market differentiation with their product offerings. This also necessitates additional considerations for chassis installation and fiber distribution with these large multi-blade SAN directors. With Panduit’s value as a trusted structured cabling provider, customers can be confident that Panduit engineered solutions will mitigate the density impacts seen by vendors switching to a VSFF connector.

*Note: Images are the property of Senko Corporation

*SN® is a registered trademark of Senko Corporation