14-Port Gigabit Managed Ethernet Switch With 2 SFP Sockets

The design is a 14-port gigabit managed ethernet switch with two Small Form-factor Pluggable (SFP) based from the Epsilon-12G2 module. The design offers twelve 10/100/1000 Mbps ethernet ports and two SFP sockets in a compact COM express form factor. The device has a built-in microcontroller and memory for configuration and management. The Flash memory holds dual application images along with the boot code. The SRAM is used for program execution and storing the MAC addresses while the EEPROM holds the configuration parameters. An RS-232 interface is provided to enable communication between the on-board management microcontroller and a host processor through a command-line interface. The microcontroller is also accessible through one of the Ethernet ports via a web management interface. The power is provided through the +5-40VDC wide-range DC power supply built into the board, enabling use with industrial power sources. In the design, a 2x1 stacked SFP connector is shown, in which a 2198318-6 zSFP+ connector from TE connectivity can be used. The connector features up to 10Gbps Ethernet and 16Gbps Fibre Channel. It is also has backward compatibilty with SFP+ connectors. The connector has a maximum rating of 120V AC for voltage and 0.5A for current.

The SFP sockets are mostly found in Ethernet switches, routers, firewalls and network interface cards. Storage interface cards, also called HBAs or Fibre Channel storage switches, also make use of these modules, supporting different speeds such as 2Gb, 4Gb, and 8Gb. These connectors are also used in medical equipments and test equipments.