The term “MSA” refers to the multi-source agreement, an agreement between several manufacturers of standardized products that will be compatible for a number of telecommunications operators. These agreements serve as a “de facto” standard and have created a competitive market for MSA-compliant optical trans-receivers, certain cables and other network devices. Device manufacturers are attacking MSAs to design their systems to ensure interoperability and interchangeability between interface modules. Multi-source rating confirms the choice that end-users have in choosing module providers, the ability to reduce costs by making economies of scale. Multi-source agreements are not formal standards bodies. Rather, they are agreements made by device manufacturers to develop form factors for communication interfaces. Here is a list of authorized MMAs for transceivers. Some of these agreements have become obsolete, such as the . B GBIC, which has been replaced by the SFP. MSAs indicate the parameters of system components and their indicative values, such as mechanical dimensions, electrical and optical interfaces, and electromagnetic values. Device manufacturers are attacking MMAs to develop their systems. This ensures interoperability and interchangeability between interface modules.

Products that comply with multi-source agreements include: optical transceurs such as SFP, SFP, XENPAK, QSFP, XFP, CFP, etc.; fibre optic cables and other network devices. A multi-source agreement, commonly known as MSA, is an agreement between several manufacturers to manufacture products with the same basic functionality and ease of use between different suppliers. Member States act as de facto standards and create and promote a competitive market for interoperable products instead of a monopoly structure. Some important multi-source agreements for optical transceivers are presented in the table below: If you refer to plug-in transceivers, you will often see that manufacturers indicate that they are “MSA-compatible,” but what does that mean? MSA is synonymous with a multi-source agreement, an agreement between several manufacturers to manufacture products that are compatible between manufacturers, by being de facto standards and creating a competitive market for interoperable products.