About DDM, DOM and RGD in SFP Transceiver Module

If it is your first purchase of SFP transceivers, you may

be very confused with the function options DDM,
DOM or RGD. So, what functions do they represent
and do you need these functions? Today, we will have
a detailed explanation of them.

Whats DDM?
DDM, namely Digital Diagnostics Monitoring, is a
technology used in SFP transceivers in order to give
the

end

user

the

ability

to

monitor

real-time

parameters of the SFPs. Such parameters include

optical

output

power,

optical

input

power,

temperature,

laser

bias

current,

and

transceiver

supply voltage etc.

Whats DOM?
DOM, short for Digital optical monitoring, is familiar
with the DDM function. It is also a feature which allows
you to monitor many parameters of the transceiver
module in real-time. DOM allows you to monitor the TX
(transmit) and RX (receive) of the module, as well as
input/output

power,

temperature,

and

voltage.

Network administrators can then check and ensure

that the module is functioning correctly.
Author Note: Obviously a SFP with DDM/DOM funstion
is high-ender than one which without it. This is why
most of modern optical SFP transceivers support
DDM/DOM

functions

according

to

the

industry-

standard SFF-8472.
Whats RGD?
You may be confused with the difference with the SFPs
with RGD and the one without it, or you may be

interested in the -RGD in the product number of

some SFP transceiver modules. So, what does RGD
stand for? RGD means rugged transceivers. In fact,
these are enhanced transceiver modules which have
been designed for greater durability, and can operate
under more extreme conditions. Rugged transceivers
may feature enhanced ESD protection, and extended
operating temperature range so that it can help
eliminate field failures without the need of costly
external protection devices.
Other Functions in SFP transceivers
If you have an experience of buying Cisco SFPs, you
may be confused with the part number with =,
because you can not find out the difference with the
one without = according to the specification. In fact,
= is also called a FRU part where FRU stands for
Field Replaceable Units. Those are the parts that can
be used as spare or be shipped individually to
replace damaged units. But the new parts that are
ordered directly from a reseller or from Cisco usually

dont come with the = sign. Thus, if you want to buy

an SFP transceiver with the FRU part, you should ask
your vendor to ensure this function.
View: www.fibercasa.com for more
information