What’s the difference between Cisco S-Class and Non-S-Class Optics?

Cisco S-class optics were released nearby December 2014. For some time, many people confused with this chain of optics due to the reason that in Cisco’s sanctioned datasheet, there is no understandable dissimilarities for the specifications between S-class and Non-S-class optics. However, if you are a loyal user of Cisco transceivers, you might find that the Non-S-class optics cost more than the S-class’s, for example SFP-10G-SR costs about $220 more than the SFP-10-SR-S module, or the SFP-10G-LR is much costly as compare to the SFP-10G-LR-S. So, what is the main modification between them? Today, we are going to discuss something about this topic.

According to Cisco, S-class optics are intended for enterprise and data center 10G and 40G applications. This new chain of optics does not have unnecessary features for these applications, allowing a more reasonable price. This is the reason why S-class optics are inexpensive as compare to Non-S-class. For the meantime, Cisco declared that S-class optics are available only in the most common reaches needed in enterprise and data center applications. Unnecessary features and the most common reaches certainly prepared the buyers who want to have a try puzzled.

With the reasonable price, S-class optics appeal many users who are charmed of Cisco optics. At the same time, a series of questions were asked by the users. Which of the features are the unnecessary? Why should we use S-class optics? Unluckily there is no specified manuscript yet for this. We may even have no knowledge from the documents. But one must not feel upset, we have some experiences that may help you to know more.

S-class optics are only Ethernet, no support of OTN (Optical Transport Network). Additionally, S-class optics and non-S-class optics supports different types of temperature ranges. Accordingly, if you are a datacenter or enterprise atmosphere that do not need any unusual long distance, temperature acceptances, or other special features, S-Class optics are good and should work quite fine for you. Actually, there could be additional unidentified differences. But there is no doubt that the differences are not the main concerns of Cisco at the time they presented the S-class. The low price is the key selling point, and since these are cisco products therefore the compatibility is no problem.

Though, with the development of 3rd-party compatible optics market, S-class optics are as popular as Cisco predicated. For example, you may choose to buy a Cisco SFP-10G-SR compatible optics with around 18 dollars in market rather about 200 dollars for Cisco SFP-10G-SR-S optics. Since you can enjoy the exact same functions and performance the Cisco SFP-10G-SR have and just with an unbelievable price. Obviously, if you are a devoted Cisco users, S-class optics are perfect choice for you on the most common reaches desirable in enterprise and data center applications.