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A gigabit interface converter (GBIC) is a standard for transceivers, first defined in 1995 and commonly used with Gigabit Ethernet and fibre channel for some time. By offering a standard, hot swappable electrical interface, a single gigabit port can support a wide range of physical media, from copper to long-wave single-mode optical fiber, at lengths of hundreds of kilometers.[1]
A smaller variation of the GBIC called the small form-factor pluggable transceiver (SFP), also known as mini-GBIC, has the same functionality but in a smaller form factor.[2] Announced in 2001, it largely made the GBIC obsolete.
Standards
The GBIC standard is non-proprietary and is defined by the Small Form Factor committee in document number 8053i.[1] The first publication of the proposal was in November 1995. A few corrections and additions were made through September 2000. Robert Snively of Brocade Communications was technical editor. Original contributors were AMP Incorporated, Compaq Computers, Sun Microsystems, and Vixel Corporation.[1]
References
- ^ a b c "SFF-8053 Specification for GBIC (Gigabit Interface Converter) revision 5.5". Storage Networking Industry Association. September 27, 2000. Retrieved February 5, 2021.
- ^ "INF-8074i Specification for SFP (Small Formfactor Pluggable Transceiver) revision 1.0" (PDF). Small Form Factor Committee. May 12, 2001. Retrieved June 21, 2011.