US Certified Enterprise-Grade Optical Router QSFP28

QSFP28 modules enable enterprise-grade 100G optical routing with coherent and non-coherent options, supporting long-reach DWDM, low-latency, and high-capacity data center and campus networks.Overview of QSFP28 TechnologyQSFP28 (Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable 28) is a 100G-capable optical transceiver standard. Each module contains four lanes running at 25 Gbps NRZ, yielding 100 Gbps payload capacity, with a physical ceiling of 28 Gbps per lane to accommodate error correction and clocking overhead. QSFP28 ports can also be broken out into four 25G connections, providing flexibility for spine-leaf or aggregation network designs. The electrical interface uses CAUI-4, which defines communication between the switch ASIC and the module, while the optical interface can support CWDM4, LR4, ER4, SR4, or PSM4 depending on the variant and fiber type (single-mode or multimode) .Enterprise-Grade Coherent QSFP28 ModulesCisco QSFP28 100G ZR modules extend 100GbE coherent links up to 80 km over dark fiber and 300 km over amplified DWDM. They leverage QPSK modulation and ITU-T standard-compliant staircase FEC, tunable across the C-band, and support Precision Timing Protocol (PTP) Class C for low-latency and precise frequency applications. These modules are compatible with widely deployed QSFP28 ports and support interoperability with Cisco and third-party routers . Ciena 100ZR QSFP28 modules use coherent technology to deliver 100 Gb/s over longer distances while supporting dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM). They can scale to 9.6 Tb/s on a single fiber pair without replacing existing QSFP28 router ports, making them ideal for enterprise, hyperscaler, and data center interconnects. These modules also support quantum-safe encryption and NIST-certified post-quantum cryptography algorithms for secure enterprise deployments .Deployment and Use CasesQSFP28 modules are widely used in:Data center interconnects for high-capacity spine-leaf fabrics.Campus and metro networks requiring low-latency, high-precision timing.Service provider networks for scalable DWDM deployments.AI and HPC clusters where high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity is critical .Key ConsiderationsReach and Modulation: Coherent QSFP28 modules support long-reach DWDM links, while non-coherent variants are suitable for short-reach intra-data center connections.Power Consumption: Typically 5.5–6 W depending on temperature and module type.Interoperability: CMIS 5.2 management interface ensures compatibility across multiple vendors.Scalability: Coherent QSFP28 allows network operators to increase capacity without replacing existing router infrastructure, supporting cost-effective upgrades from 10G to 100G . QSFP28 modules provide a flexible, high-performance, and enterprise-certified solution for modern optical routing, enabling secure, scalable, and low-latency 100G connectivity across data centers, campuses, and service provider networks.