Cisco QSFP-100G-SL4 Full Official Product Description
1. Part Number & Naming Definition
Official Full Name
Cisco 100GBASE-SL4 Short Link QSFP28 Parallel Multi-Mode Optical Transceiver Module with Digital Diagnostic Monitoring Support
SKU:QSFP-100G-SL4
Naming Breakdown
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QSFP28: Quad Small Form-factor Pluggable 28 hot‑swappable transceiver compliant with SFF‑8665 QSFP28 MSA specification
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100G: Aggregate 103.125 Gbps bandwidth (4 × 25.78125 Gbps NRZ electrical lanes for CAUI-4)
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SL4: Short Link 4-channel parallel optical standard, optimized for ultra-short rack-to-rack data center connections
Core Architecture: Four independent 25G NRZ VCSEL optical channels over parallel multi-mode ribbon fiber via MPO‑12 connector.
Key Feature: Supports dual operation modes — native 100G Ethernet or breakout into four independent 25GBASE-SR channels when paired with MPO-to‑4×LC breakout cables.
Note: SL4 delivers shorter maximum reach than SR4-S and provides a cost-optimized option for very short intra-rack and adjacent rack interconnects.
Core Product Positioning
The Cisco QSFP-100G-SL4 is a commercial-grade hot‑swappable QSFP28 parallel optical transceiver designed for ultra-short reach high-density 100 Gigabit Ethernet within data centers. Target use cases include intra-rack server-to-switch links, adjacent rack ToR interconnections, and short leaf-spine fabric uplinks where fiber distances do not exceed 30 meters over OM4 fiber. Flexible breakout capability allows operators to run either 100G aggregate links or four separate 25G connections without hardware replacement. Integrated DOM/DDM enables continuous real-time monitoring of optical operating parameters for simplified fault detection and routine maintenance.
2. Hardware & Software Compatibility
Supported Host Platforms
Cisco Nexus 3000 / 9000 Series Switches; Catalyst 9500 / 9600 Series Switches; UCS Servers with QSFP28 ports and other hardware equipped with QSFP28 interfaces supporting 100 Gigabit Ethernet.
Verify Cisco official transceiver compatibility matrix and minimum required firmware release prior to deployment.
Supported Operating Systems
NX-OS, IOS-XE releases supporting QSFP28 MSA and SFF‑8636 digital diagnostic monitoring functions.
Supported Fiber Media
Laser‑optimized 50/125μm multi-mode fiber (MMF) only. Incompatible with single-mode fiber.
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OM3 MMF: Maximum reach of 20 meters
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OM4 / OM5 MMF: Maximum reach of 30 meters
Connector Type
MTP/MPO‑12 male parallel optical connector
3. Physical & Optical Performance Specifications
Form Factor
Hot‑swappable QSFP28, compliant with SFF‑8665 MSA
Optical Interface
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Nominal Operating Wavelength: 840 nm ~ 860 nm (850 nm VCSEL array)
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Electrical Lane Rate: 4 × 25.78125 Gbps NRZ, aggregate 103.125 Gbps
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Dual Operation Modes: Native 100GBASE Ethernet or breakout to 4 × 25GBASE-SR
Maximum Transmission Distance
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OM3 Multi-Mode Fiber: Up to 20 m
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OM4 / OM5 Multi-Mode Fiber: Up to 30 m
Optical Power Budget (per individual lane)
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Average Transmit Optical Power: -8.4 dBm ~ +2.4 dBm
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Minimum Receiver Sensitivity: -10.3 dBm
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Maximum Allowable Received Optical Power: +2.4 dBm
Digital Diagnostics
DOM / DDM (Digital Diagnostic Monitoring) Supported
Monitors internal module temperature, supply voltage, laser bias current, transmit optical power and receive optical power.
Environmental Specifications (Commercial Grade)
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Operating Temperature:0°C ~ +70°C (32°F ~ 158°F)
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Storage Temperature: -40°C ~ +85°C (-40°F ~ 185°F)
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Relative Humidity: 5% – 95%, non‑condensing
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Maximum Operating Altitude: 3,000 meters
Typical Power Consumption
4. Supported Functional Capabilities
Ethernet Transport
Wire-speed full-duplex native 100GBASE Ethernet; supports flexible breakout to 4 × 25GBASE-SR
Layer 2 Protocol Support
802.1Q VLAN trunking, IEEE 802.3x pause frame flow control, LACP, STP/RSTP/MSTP, EtherChannel link aggregation
Interface Diagnostics
Link status detection, error statistics, DOM real-time optical telemetry, LOS (Loss of Signal) alarm indication, Tx disable control, local loopback testing
High Availability
Supports hot-plug OIR (Online Insertion and Removal) on compatible platforms; supports link redundancy via port-channels and spanning tree protocols
Operations & Management
NX-OS / IOS-XE command-line interface, SSH, SNMP v2c/v3, Syslog logging
5. Typical Deployment Scenarios
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Intra-rack and adjacent rack 100GE server-to-top-of-rack switch connections
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Ultra-short distance leaf-spine fabric uplinks within high-density data center pods
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Network migration projects: QSFP28 port breakout to four independent 25G SFP28 links
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Cost-sensitive high-density HPC cluster short parallel fiber interconnections
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Clos architecture deployments where fiber cable runs are limited below 30 meters
6. Regulatory & Compliance Certifications
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Safety Standards: UL 60950‑1, IEC/EN 60950‑1, CSA C22.2 No.60950‑1
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EMC Compliance: CE Mark, FCC Part 15 Class A, ICES‑003 Class A
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Laser Safety: Class 1 Laser Product conforming to IEC 60825‑1
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Industry Standards: IEEE 802.3bm, SFF‑8665, SFF‑8636
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Environmental Regulation: RoHS compliant, WEEE directive compliant
7. Standard Factory Package Contents
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Cisco QSFP-100G-SL4 QSFP28 Optical Transceiver
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Hardware Installation Guide
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Safety and Regulatory Documentation
MPO‑12 multi-mode ribbon cables and MPO-to‑4×LC breakout cables sold separately.
Model Comparison Reference
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QSFP-100G-SL4: MPO‑12 parallel MMF, 20m (OM3) /30m (OM4), supports native 100G and 4×25G breakout, cost-optimized ultra-short reach
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QSFP-100G-SR4-S: MPO‑12 parallel MMF, 70m (OM3) /100m (OM4), longer reach parallel optics
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QSFP-100G-SR1.2: Duplex LC BiDi MMF, native 100G only, no breakout
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QSFP-100G-DR-S: Duplex LC single-mode, 500m reach
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QSFP-100G-LR4-S: Duplex LC single-mode CWDM, 10km reach
UNSPSC Classification Code
43222618 – Cisco QSFP-100G-SL4 short-link parallel multi-mode QSFP28 transceiver with DOM and breakout capability, hot-swappable 100 Gigabit optical module for ultra-short reach high-density data center networking.
Hardware Warranty
Genuine Cisco transceivers are covered under Cisco limited hardware warranty. Warranty terms for refurbished units follow respective reseller agreements.
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