CPAK vs CFP: Understanding the Key Differences

Introduction

In fiber optic domain, transceivers are essential components. They are used to convert electrical signals into optical signals and vice versa. They enable high speed data transmission over fiber optic cables. The popular transceivers having different form factors are CPAK developed by Cisco and industry standard CFP. This page compares CPAK vs CFP and mentions the difference between CPAK and CFP.

CPAK Transceivers

Cisco Packet Optical Advanced Kit (CPAK) is a proprietary transceiver form factor developed by Cisco in 2013. It offers 100 gigabit ethernet connectivity. The CPAK modules offer higher density, low power solutions for service provider networks and data centers.

CPAK modules are approximately 20% smaller than CFP2 modules, allowing for higher port density on networking equipment. Moreover they consume up to 40 % less power than CFP2 modules.

Figure 1: CPAK Transceiver

CFP Transceivers

C Form Factor Pluggable (CFP) transceivers are standardized modules. They are defined by CFP Multi-Source Agreement (MSA) to support high speed digital transmission. They are used for 40GbE and 100GbE applications.

The CFP family includes several versions as follows.

• CFP: The original module, supporting 10×10G or 4×25G lanes.
• CFP2: Smaller than CFP, supporting various lane configurations and offering lower power consumption.
• CFP4: More compact, designed for higher port density with reduced power usage.
• CFP8: Supports 400GbE with 16×25G or 8×50G lanes.

Figure 2: Dimensions of CFP, CFP2, CFP4 and CFP8

Comparison between CPAK and CFP

Summary

CPAK transceivers are tailored for Cisco environments, offering compact size and energy efficiency, while CFP transceivers provide standardized solutions suitable for diverse networking scenarios across multiple vendors.