GBIC
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A GBIC is a standard for tranceivers, commonly used with gigabit ethernet and fibre channel. The name is an acronym for "gigabit interface converter". By offering a standard, hot swappable electrical interface, one gigabit ethernet port can support the full range of physical media, from copper to 100 km single-mode fiber.
The appeal of the GBIC standard in networking equipment, as opposed to fixed physical interface configurations, is it's flexibility. An administrator can purchase GBICs as needed, not in advance, and they can be the specific type needed for each link. This lowers the cost of both the base system due to a standard electrical interface; it also lowers the cost for the administrator, who may purchase GBICs as needed, and does not find that an overly-large investment has been made in the wrong physical interface type.
The GBIC standard is non-proprietary and is defined by the SFF Committee in document # SFF-8053.
External links
- Cisco GBICs data sheet (http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps872/products_data_sheet09186a008014cb5e.html)
- SFF-8053, Official GBIC Specification (ftp://ftp.seagate.com/sff/SFF-8053.PDF)