PAN-SFP28-25GBASE-LR-BCC | Palo Alto Compatible 25GB Single-Mode 10km (25GBASE-LR)

Q: Will this work in place of the Palo Alto PAN-SFP28-25GBASE-LR?
A: Yes. The PAN-SFP28-25GBASE-LR-BCC is engineered to the same IEEE 802.3cc 25GBASE-LR standard, uses the identical SFP28 form factor, operates at 25 Gbps over single-mode fibre at 1310nm with 10km reach, and provides plug-and-play compatibility with Palo Alto Networks firewall platforms featuring 25G SFP28 ports. The module is pre-programmed for seamless recognition by Palo Alto hardware.

Q: Which Palo Alto firewall models support this transceiver?
A: This transceiver is compatible with Palo Alto Networks firewall platforms equipped with 25G SFP28 interfaces. Palo Alto designs its interfaces to industry standards (IEEE 802.3 and SFF specifications), so any firewall with a 25G SFP28 port will support 25GBASE-LR modules. Verify your specific firewall model features SFP28 ports by consulting the front panel description in the Palo Alto hardware reference guide for your platform series.

Q: What is the minimum fibre quality required to achieve the full 10km reach at 25G?
A: The module is specified for 10km reach on OS2 (G.652) single-mode fibre, which is standard for long-reach applications. It provides an 8 dB link budget at 25 Gbps. To achieve full 10km reach, ensure your fibre plant has low insertion loss (typically under 0.5 dB/km for OS2 at 1310nm), clean and properly terminated LC connectors, and minimal splice or patch panel loss. Degraded fibre, dirty connectors, or excessive patch points will reduce usable distance.

Q: Does this module require FEC to operate at 25G over 10km?
A: Some 25GBASE-LR implementations require RS-FEC (Reed-Solomon Forward Error Correction) on the host ports for full-reach operation at 25G. This is a host equipment characteristic, not a module limitation. Check whether your Palo Alto firewall platform mandates FEC for 25G links at 10km. The module itself supports multi-rate operation from 8.5 to 28.1 Gbps and will operate at lower speeds or shorter distances without FEC if your firewall permits it.

Q: Can I monitor the optical link health in real time using this transceiver?
A: Yes. The module features full DOM (Digital Diagnostic Monitoring) per SFF-8472, exposing real-time parameters including transmit optical power (Tx), receive optical power (Rx), module temperature, laser bias current, and supply voltage. On Palo Alto firewalls, you can retrieve these values via CLI commands such as 'show transceiver-detail' for the relevant interface. Monitoring Rx power is particularly valuable for detecting fibre degradation, connector contamination, or link budget margin issues before they cause outages.