What is a DR4 optical module
A DR4 optical module is a 400G transceiver designed for medium-short distance transmission (up to 500 meters) over single-mode fiber using four parallel 100G PAM4 lanes.
Overview
The DR4 (Distance Range 4) optical module is part of the 400G Ethernet family, optimized for inter-data center connections and short-range high-speed links. It uses single-mode fiber and supports transmission distances of up to 500 meters with PAM4 (4-level Pulse Amplitude Modulation) signaling, which allows each optical lane to carry 100Gbps, totaling 400Gbps across four lanes .
Key Features
- Transmission Distance: Up to 500 meters on single-mode fiber .
- Fiber Type: Single-mode fiber (SMF), suitable for interconnects between data centers or within large-scale data center campuses .
- Channels: 4 optical channels, each carrying 100Gbps, aggregated to 400Gbps .
- Modulation: PAM4, which doubles the data rate per lane compared to traditional NRZ signaling .
- Connector Type: Typically uses MPO-12 connectors, with some variants supporting SN connectors for breakout applications .
- Transmitter Type: 1310nm EML (Electro-absorption Modulated Laser) for high-speed optical transmission .
- Compatibility: Can interoperate with 100G DR1 modules via MPO-to-LC breakout cables, allowing flexible network upgrades .
Applications
- Data Center Interconnects: Connecting 400G leaf and spine switches within a data center .
- Network Upgrades: Enables gradual migration from 100G to 400G infrastructure without replacing all existing equipment .
- Short-Distance High-Bandwidth Links: Ideal for high-capacity links where distances are under 500 meters, such as within large cloud or enterprise data centers .
Comparison with Other 400G Modules
- SR4: Short-range, multimode fiber, up to 100–300 meters, lower cost, higher fiber usage .
- FR4: Medium-range, single-mode fiber, up to 2 km, uses CWDM to multiplex four lanes over duplex fiber .
- LR4: Long-range, single-mode fiber, up to 10 km, uses LWDM for wide-area connections . In summary, the DR4 optical module balances cost, performance, and distance, making it a preferred choice for medium-short single-mode fiber links in modern 400G data center networks .
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