Author Archives: Alice.Gui

Compatible Optical Solution for HPE Procurve 3500yl-48G POE Switch (J8693A)

The HPE Procurve 3500 and 3500 yl switch series is a group of advanced intelligent-edge switches available with 24-port or 48-port fixed ports. These switches are with a variety of Gigabit Ethernet and 10/100Mbps interfaces. Both 24-port and 48-port switches have POE+, POE and non-POE options. Moreover, Gigabit Ethernet switches are with optional 10GbE module slot. HPE Procurve 3500yl-48G POE switch is one popular model of the 3500 yl switch series. This post will focus on this switch model and introduce compatible transceivers and cables that can be used in it.

HPE Procurve 3500yl-48G POE Switch

HPE Procurve 3500yl-48G 48 port POE switch has 44 autosensing 10/100/1000BASE-T ports and 4 dual-personality ports. Each of these four ports can be either an RJ45 10/100/1000 port with POE or an open mini-GBIC slot. It can be used as an advanced access layer switch or small distribution layer switch. With 44 fixed RJ45 10/100/1000BASE-T POE ports, it can support a considerable number of end application. And with an open module slot that supports a maximum of four 10GbE ports, it is flexible and promising when there’s need to upgrade to higher data rate or longer transmission distance.

Figure 1: 48-port HPE procurve 3500yl-48G POE switch.

It should be noted that each of the four mini-GBIC slots is shared with the associated 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 port. If a mini-GBIC is installed in a slot, the associated RJ45 port is disabled.

4 dual-personality ports of HPE 3500yl-48G-POE

Figure 2: 4 dual-personality ports of HPE procurve 3500yl-48G POE switch.

Supported Transceivers and Cables in HPE 3500yl-48G POE Switch

The HPE 3500yl-48G POE switch is a multi-rate device that can support various types of network cable; when using the 4 mini-GBIC ports, different optical transceivers and cables can be used in them. For the 44 autosensing RJ45 ports, they can be used for 10/100BASE-T connectivity in half or full duplex mode, or for 1000BASE-T connectivity in full duplex mode. Ethernet cable like Cat5 can achieve the 10/100/1000BASE-T link. In terms of the mini-GBIC port, since there are three optional choices (X2, CX4 and SFP+) for the open module slot, 10G transceivers including X2, CX4 and SFP+ are possibly to be used. The following table explains what network optics and cable can be used. By the way, J8177B Gigabit 1000BASE-T mini-GBIC is not supported on the 3500 switch series.

Table: HPE compatible optical transceivers and cables.

HPE Part Number	Description
J9054C	HPE J9054C Compatible 100BASE-FX SFP 1310nm 2km DOM Transceiver
J9099B	HPE J9099B Compatible 100BASE-BX-D BiDi SFP 1550nm-TX/1310nm-RX 10km DOM Transceiver
J9100B	HPE J9100B Compatible 100BASE-BX-U BiDi SFP 1310nm-TX/1550nm-RX 10km DOM Transceiver
J4860C	HPE J4860C Compatible 1000BASE-LH SFP 1550nm 80km Transceiver
J4859C	HPE J4859C Compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP 1310nm 10km Transceiver
J4858C	HPE J4858C Compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m Transceiver
J9142B	HPE J9142B Compatible 1000BASE-BX-D BiDi SFP 1490nm-TX/1310nm-RX 10km DOM Transceiver
J9143B	HPE J9143B Compatible 1000BASE-BX-U BiDi SFP 1310nm-TX/1490nm-RX 10km DOM Transceiver
J8438A	HPE J8438A Compatible 10GBASE-ER X2 1550nm 40km DOM Transceiver
J8437A	HPE J8437A Compatible 10GBASE-LR X2 1310nm 10km DOM Transceiver
J9144A	HPE J9144A Compatible 10GBASE-LRM X2 1310nm 220m DOM Transceiver
J8436A	HPE J8436A Compatible 10GBASE-SR X2 850nm 300m DOM Transceiver
J9153A	HPE J9153A Compatible 10GBASE-ER SFP+ 1550nm 40km DOM Transceiver
J9151A	HPE J9151A Compatible 10GBASE-LR SFP+ 1310nm 10km DOM Transceiver
J9152A	HPE J9152A Compatible 10GBASE-LRM SFP+ 1310nm 220m DOM Transceiver
J9150A	HPE J9150A Compatible 10GBASE-SR SFP+ 850nm 300m DOM Transceiver
J9281B	1m (3ft) HPE J9281B Compatible 10G SFP+ Passive Direct Attach Copper Twinax Cable
J9283B	3m (10ft) HPE J9283B Compatible 10G SFP+ Passive Direct Attach Copper Twinax Cable

Summary

The above mentioned compatible optical transceivers and network cables can work well in HPE Procurve 3500yl-48G POE network switch as the original models do, but are much more affordable. These compatible modules are tested in the switch and are ensured to work on it. If you know other working devices in this switch model, welcome to share with me and my readers.

Why Is Plenum Cable Important to High Density Data Centers?

In most terrible building or house fire disasters, combustible plastics (PVC) used in the wiring are always among the very things that contribute to the rapid spread of fire and toxic smoke. And the air conditioning systems even help the toxic smoke given off by the burning cables to spread throughout the building quickly. As for the high density data center with high speed computing equipment and large amount of plastic jacketed cables, it is crucial to take measures to reduce the damage in an unwanted fire. How to make the crucial data center a safer place? The high quality plenum cable (eg. MTP fiber) can be one of the best choices.

break-down of precision air conditioning system might lead to fire incident

The break-down of precision air conditioning system might lead to fire incident.

Plenum Cable for Data Center Environment

Plenum space is an area used for return of air circulation or air conditioning systems. In a data center, the spaces covered by the precision air conditioning unit are often necessary to deploy plenum products. They include not only plenum containment that separates cold aisle and hot aisle, but also plenum cables that meet the highest fire code requirements. Both electric cables and fiber optic cables are required to be plenum rated (CMP) when they are installed in inner walls and inner ceilings of data center buildings.

Cold aisle containment (left) and hot aisle containment (right) in a precision air conditioning unit.

Cold aisle containment (left) and hot aisle containment (right) in a precision air conditioning unit.

MTP Plenum Fiber: Get Safety and High Bandwidth at the Same Time

The integration of plenum jacket and MTP fiber is a perfect solution for high density data center applications. The safety feature of the plenum cable and the high fiber port count of MTP connector endow the data center with two essential components. By using MTP plenum cable, the possible danger that might be caused by cables located at cold aisle and hot aisle can be minimized when a fire incident occurs. In addition, the high bandwidth demands within a limited space in data center can be satisfied.

safe and high speed mtp plenum cable

Use MTP plenum cable to get safety and high bandwidth at the same time.

When buying MTP fibers, be sure to check if it is genuine plenum rated and the MTP connector should meet the physical connection standard for acceptable insertion loss. When burnt, plenum cable will give off little smoke, and the color of the smoke is light instead of dark. FS MTP plenum cables are made of Corning fiber and U.S. Conec MTP connector. They are all tested and guaranteed by 3D interferometry and the insertion loss is no more than 0.35 dB. No matter it is the plenum jacket, the inner fiber, the connector, or the end face geometry, they are all genuine parts and in high quality. They can be checked by any user without a problem.

FS high quality MTP plenum cable made of U.S. Conec connector and Corning fiber.

FS high quality MTP plenum cable made of U.S. Conec connector and Corning fiber.

Cost Comparison of 10G Leaf Switch and 40G Spine Switch

The growth of network users and the virtualized and automated trend in network have called for a great change in the macro network infrastructure. The “old” three-tier network architecture, namely core, aggregation and access, is quickly proved to be inefficient in modern complicated network environment. So what’s next to replace the outdated frame? After my research, the best I currently find is the flatter leaf-spine network architecture, which surpasses the traditional one with improved switch capacity and much lower latency. This blog will give the cost comparison of 10G leaf switch and 40G spine switch.

three-tier network is outdated

In order to help buying a suitable network switch when scaling the efficient leaf-spine architecture, I will compare some different brands’ 10G leaf switch (48*10G SFP+ and 6*40G QSFP+) and 40G spine switch (32*40G QSFP+) in this post. It should be noted that each 10gb switch and 40gb switch price shown below is based on my own research, and I cannot promise that you can get one at the same price, since there are cases of discount, charged shipping, or tax. But you can take it as a reference. And welcome to add new information or to correct mistakes.

10G Leaf Switch (48*10G SFP+ and 6*40G QSFP+), switch capacity being 1.44Tbps.

Brand	Model	CPU	ASIC	NOS	Online Base Price (US$)
Edge-Core	AS5812-54X	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cumulus Linux	$4,438.07 ~ $4,889.75
Agema	AG7648	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Agema OS & OcNOSTM	$5,995.00
Cisco	Nexus 9372PX	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS)	$9,505.00 ~ $21,318.16
Dell	S4048-ON	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cumulus Linux	$2,250.00 ~ $2,850.00
Juniper	QFX5100-48S	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Juniper Operating System (JunOS)	$24,299.00 ~ $25,942.00
Brocade	VDX 6740	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Brocade Fabric OS	$16,815.82 ~ $19,369.99
HPE	Altoline 6920	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	HPE Comware	$11,209.66 ~ $12,792.00
Huawei	CE6851	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Huawei Operating System (OS)	$6,379.95 ~ $11,238.08

40G spine switch (32*40G QSFP+), switch capacity being 2.56 Tbps.

Brand	Model	CPU	ASIC	NOS	Online Base Price (US$)
Edge-Core	AS6712-32X	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cumulus Linux	$7,571.95 ~ $14,124.16
Agema	AG8032	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Agema OS & OcNOSTM	$8,495.00
Cisco	Nexus 9332PQ	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cisco IOS	$17,617.21 ~ $18,673.15
Dell	S6000-ON	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Cumulus Linux	$ 29,476.80
Juniper	QFX5100-24Q	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	JunOS	$29,313.83 ~ $32,949.99
Brocade	VDX 6940	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Brocade Fabric OS	$21,546.46 ~ $24,036.81
HPE	Altoline 6940	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	HPE Comware	$15,354.38 ~ $15,739.68
Huawei	CE7850	X86-64	Broadcom Trident2	Huawei OS	$13,737.60 ~ $23,000.00

These open networking leaf and spine switches are almost all adopting Broadcom Trident 2 chip and the Intel 64 processor, the major difference between them lies in the software. Some big brand switches deploy their own network operating system while some support licensed Cumulus Linux OS.

FS provides not only high performance 10G leaf switch (S9000-48S6Q, 48*10G SFP+ and 6*40G QSFP+) and 40G spine switch (S9000-32Q, 32*40G QSFP+) that have excellent Broadcom Trident 2 switching chip and licensed Cumulus Linux OS, and customers also enjoy the easiest addressing of both hardware and software problems. When you buy open networking switch at FS, you can also get certified optics and cables, and professional software support effortlessly and at low cost.

10G leaf switch

The base prices listed above do not include accessories like optics and fiber optic cables, or the software and hardware support cost. And only a few vendors I know can provide certified optics and cables, and expert software and hardware support at the same time. One-stop experience could only be found at vendors like Cumulus Networks (Cumulus Express service) and FS (Fiberstore). As you know that building a high performance networking is never only about switch, it would be better if simple and all-in-one approach could be provided in switch installation.

100G PAM4 QSFP28 or Coherent CFP?

The ever-increasing need for higher data rate in mobile data traffic, data centers and cloud services has pushed the access streams from 2.5Gb/s to 100Gb/s, and is demanding for 100Gb/s beyond without a stop. In today’s core network that has deployed 100G rates, there are QSFP28 optical transceivers including SR4, PSM4, CWDM4, LR4, ER4, etc., serving for a maximum 25km transmission distance. And there are 100G AOC, DAC and breakout cables generally for applications of tens of meters. 100G CFP/CFP2 modules including SR10, LR4 and ER4 support transmission distances of 150m to 40km. Until recent years, the telecom service providers are adopting new 100G DWDM technologies in their high capacity and long distance backbone applications. Coherent 100G DWDM transceivers are the first to be deployed for 100G long-haul applications, and then new technologies like PAM4 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation) are developed to meet lengths requirements for 100G metro network. This post is to discuss the issues on coherent and 100G PAM4 DWDM transceivers.

Overview on 100G DWDM Transceivers

In the past few years, the adoption of 100G DWDM technologies is mainly focused on coherent DWDM optical transceivers, including CFP and CFP2. Until the year 2016, Inphi (a specialist in this area) offers pluggable 100G PAM4 QSFP28 DWDM transceivers to support 80km data center interconnect (DCI). The alternative for 100G DWDM coherent transceiver is given much attention. Besides, this new option for 100G DWDM transceiver also arouses hot discussion on which to choose. Knowing the characteristics and suited applications of them could help in selection.

100G PAM4 QSFP28 and Coherent CFP/CFP2

There are significant differences between QSFP28 PAM4 transceivers and coherent CFP/CFP2 transceivers, but they also have some relations in 100G applications. Contents below will go to details of these optical modules.

QSFP28 PAM4

Before the announcement of PAM4, binary NRZ (non-return to zero) modulation format is used for 40G and 100G long-haul transmission systems. PAM4 has four distinct levels to encode two bits of data, essentially doubling the bandwidth of a connection. Currently the single-wavelength PAM4 modulation scheme is considered the most cost-effective, efficient enabler of 100G and beyond in the data center. The 100G DWDM transceiver utilizing PAM4 signaling is in QSFP28 form factor. The advantage is that the customers who want to build an embedded DWDM network can use this transceiver directly in the switch. On this side, it is simple and cost-effective solution. But there are some prerequisites: it needs amplification to get out of the blocks and dispersion compensation to go beyond 5-6km. Therefore, a separate DWDM multiplexer with an amplification system and dispersion compensation is required to connect data canters together.

single wavelength 100G PAM4

In another case, if the QSFP28 PAM4 module is added to an existing DWDM network, it must be a network already having right dispersion compensation modules (DCMs) and amplification system in place; if it is not, changes are required when QSFP28 PAM4 is later added.

Coherent CFP

CFP digital coherent optics (DCO) have a high speed digital signal processing (DSP) chip built in. They do not require separate DCMs. This is what makes CFP different from QSFP28. Instead, they have electronic dispersion compensation built in. Although the built-in DSP requires more power and adds cost in components, it releases the switch vendors from adding DSPs to their equipment. Coherent CFPs enables transmission distance of more than 1000km between sites.

CFP2 analog coherent optic (ACO) is half the width of the CFP. Existing CFP2 coherent DWDM optical transceivers are analog and require a separate DSP on the host board to take the full advantages of the coherent features. So it is suited for switch vendors who have fitted such a DSP, but it adds additional cost and power consumption on the main board.

CFP2 digital coherent optic (DCO), expected to be released in the coming two years, is more optimized than CFP2 ACO in that it has built-in DSP. This component will open up to all switch vendors using CFP2 without DSP. With different coherent CFPs optional, customers can pay only for what they need when they need it.

100G PAM4 QSFP28 or Coherent CFP?

This really should depend on the applications. According to ACG research (an analyst and consulting firm that focuses on the service providers’ networking and the telecom industry), the 100G PAM4 solution and coherent DWDM solution, together with IEEE802.3ba, cover different portions of the optical fiber reach in the data center interconnect. So when deploying a long distance 100G DWDM network with DWDM transceivers, the required transmission distance and available equipment should be taken into consideration when choosing a suitable pluggable module.

IEEE, PAM4, OIF coherent optical reaches

Conclusion

Using pluggable transceivers for embedded DWDM, where the DWDM functionality is in the transceiver and not a separate DWDM converter platform, offers the ultimate solution in terms of cost and simplicity. Both 100G PAM4 QSFP28 and coherent CFP/CFP2 are all suited to this approach. They can be used for embedded DWDM networking or as part of an existing DWDM installation. They all enable the advantages of pluggable modules: simple installation, easy spares handling, lower cost of ownership and quick return on invest.

Related Article: 100G Metro Network Technology Explained

Simplify the Implementation of High Density 100G CXP

Data center bandwidth demands continue to grow, requiring higher capacity and throughput. The 100G/120G Ethernet is no longer new in data center optic market, but it’s still a complex act to efficiently and effectively upgrade existing 10G/40G architectures to these higher data rates, especially in a space-constrained application. In order to explore the approaches of smooth migration to high density 100G/120G network, this post will take multimode 100G/120G CXP module as example, and illustrate some simplified scenarios when upgrading to these higher data rates.

Overview on 120G CXP Module

High density 100G CXP is very popular in the implementations up to 100Gbps for saving-space. This deployment can then leverage the 10G-per-lane channels to distribute the 10G data anywhere in the data center. 100G CXP module is designed to connect with an MTP/MPO-24 connector, which can be divided to 10x10G or 12x10G transceiver pairs. For 120G CXP, it is also possible to separate the signals into three QSFP+ transceivers, and then to three groups of 4x10G transceivers by using an 8 fibers MTP/MPO to LC breakout module or cable.

Direct Connectivity for Two CXPs

For two 100GBASE-SR10 modules, direct link can be easily made via 100G MPO cable. For connecting two 120G CXPs, a cost-effective 24 fibers MPO trunk can also work well. Here uses an 24 fibers MPO (female) to MPO (female) OM4 polarity B trunk cable.

Figure 1: direct link for two 100G CXP modules.

Connectivity Methods for 120G CXP and SFP+/QSFP+

In this part, the scenarios applied for 100G to 10G connection, and 120G to 40G or 10G connection will be explained.

100G to 10G

Figure 2 shows a direct link for one 100G CFP module and ten 10G SFP+ modules. By using the 24 fibers MPO to LC duplex harness cable, the whole 100G from the CFP transceiver is connected to ten SFP+ transceivers (two LC duplex legs are not used in this link). The fanout legs are available to be the same length or staggered type, so as to meet different applications.

Figure 2: direct link for a 100G CFP to 10x10G SFP+s.

In figure 3, the interconnect for CFP and SFP+ transceivers is more flexible than the direct link. Here the 160 fibers MTP/MPO (male) breakout patch panel allows connectivity to any duplex path reachable by the patch panel. This method offers ultimate flexibility in allowing connectivity to any row, rack or shelf. Moreover, this breakout module can support up to eight groups of this 100G to 10x10G transmission. In such a high density link, it is suggested to use HD patch cables or LC uniboot patch cables to enable quicker and better cable management.

Figure 3: interconnect solution for 100G CFP to 10x10G SFP+s.

120G to 10G and 40G

When directly connecting one 120G CXP to twelve 10G SFP+ transceivers, a 24 fibers MTP-24 to 12 LC harness cables can do the job well. Here we use a customized high density bend insensitive female MTP-24 to 12 LC duplex OM4 breakout cable.

Figure 4: direct link for 120G to 12x10G transceivers.

An option for breaking out a 120G CXP to three 40G QSFP+s is to use the 1×3 MTP/MPO conversion harness cable. Figure 5 illustrates implementation of a 1×24 strand MTP to 3×8 strand MTP conversion harness cable. Like the 12x10G segregation mentioned above, once split, the 3×8-fiber QSFP+ channels can be distributed through patch panels and 12-fiber based trunking to any area of the data center.

Figure 5: hybrid link for 120G CXP to 40G QSFP+s and 10G SFP+s.

Conclusion

This article has illustrated some simplified implementation examples of 100G CXP modules. 24 fibers MTP/MPO trunk cable are suited for connecting two CXP modules. Breakout cables can achieve quick connection for CXP and QSFP+ or SFP+ optics, but when flexible patching is needed in the link, it would be better to adopt breakout patch panel. If you need 100G optics, FS.COM can offer you fully tested compatible 100GBASE-SR10, 100G SR4, 100GBASE-LR4 and 100GBASE-ER4 transceivers, etc.

What Is IPv4 & IPv6 Dual Stack and MPLS Technique?

We usually see the switch products description as the following “Hardware support for IPv4 & IPv6 dual stack and rich MPLS features provide customers with a wealth of business features and routing functions, as well as hardware-based security features”. Then, what’s the IPv4 & IPv6 dual stack? What does the “MPLS” mean?

What Is IPv4 & IPv6 Dual Stack?
As we all know, the entire Internet world is currently running IPv4 (Internet Protocol Version 4). But we’ve run completely out of current IPv4-type addresses. So a new IP address format called IPv6 appears. The IPv6 format creates an IP address with a much longer number, which allows for a great many more IP addresses—so many, we should never run out again! Here’s an example of the difference between the two formats:

Sample IPv4 address: 192.168.1.2
Sample IPv6 address: 2001:0578:0123:4567:89AB:CDEF:0123:4567

One significant problem is that the two IP address formats aren’t compatible and total conversion to IPv6 is a way off. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) need to provide their customers with both IPv4 and IPv6 service. How to solve this problem? The answer is IPv4 & IPv6 dual stack. With the dual stack solution, every networking device, server, switch, router and firewall in an ISP’s network will be configured with both IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity capabilities. Most importantly, dual stack technology allows ISPs to process IPv4 and IPv6 data traffic simultaneously.

MPLS Technique Explanation
MPLS stands for “Multi-Protocol Label Switching”. It is a type of data-carrying technique for high-performance telecommunications networks. In a traditional IP network, each router performs an IP lookup, determines a next-hop based on its routing table, and forwards the packet to that next-hop. Rinse and repeat for every router, each making its own independent routing decisions, until the final destination is reached.

MPLS does “label switching” instead. The first device does a routing lookup, just like before. But instead of finding a next-hop, it finds the final destination router. And it finds a pre-determined path from “here” to that final router. The router applies a “label” based on this information. Future routers use the label to route the traffic without needing to perform any additional IP lookups. At the final destination router the label is removed. And the packet is delivered via normal IP routing.

Due to the labeling technology, the speed of performing lookups for destinations and routing is much faster than the standard IP table lookups non-MPLS routers have to perform. Besides, MPLS networks achieve greater Quality of Service (QoS) for their customers. FS.COM S5800-48F4S routing switches support for IPv4 & IPv6 dual stack and rich MPLS features and enhanced multicast and QoS capabilities can provide customers with a wealth of business features and routing functions, as well as hardware-based security features.

Core Switch & Edge Switch: How to Choose the Right One?

MLAG vs. Stacking: What Is Your Option?

Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Switch: What’s the Difference?

Over the years, the average network has been dominated by the Layer 2 switch. Now as network complexity increases and applications demand greater functions from the network, Layer 3 switches are coming out of the data center and high level enterprise settings. Why this happens? Layer 2 vs Layer 3 switch: What’s the difference? Which one should I deploy?

Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Switch
The main function of a Layer 2 is to help the traffic from devices within a LAN reach each other. A Layer 2 switch does this by keeping a table of all the MAC addresses it has learned and what physical port they can be found on. The MAC address is something that operates within Layer 2 of the OSI model (what defines how networks operate). Traffic being switched by MAC address is isolated within the LAN those devices are using. Therefore, when you need traffic to cross between LANs (or VLANs) is when we need a Layer 3 network switch.

The most common Layer 3 device used in a network is the router. A router is able to look into the Layer 3 portion of traffic passing through it (the source and destination IP addresses) to decide how it should pass that traffic along. Since a router holds information about multiple networks (LAN WAN VLAN) it is also able to pass traffic along between these networks. This is routing. The Layer 3 switch functionally exists somewhere between being a Layer 2 switch and being a Gateway Router. It can be best described by what more it does compared to a Layer 2 switch and what less it does compared to a Gateway Router.

Layer 2 vs Layer 3: What Makes Layer 3 Switch Different?
When comparing the Layer 2 switch to a Layer 3 switch the first thing to look at is what additional software functionality you are getting. When a switch supports Dynamic Routing Protocols, it’s no longer a strictly Layer 2 switch. Because static routing allows traffic to be routed between VLANs. In fact, the switches that add only Static Routing to their software features are considered to be somewhere between a Layer 2 and full Layer 3 switch. Sometimes called Layer 2+ or Layer 3 Lite. Unlike Layer 2+ switch, Layer 3 switch is Dynamic Routing ,which are used to link large networks together and share routing tables between them. They can also allow for dynamic routing of multicast traffic on the network.

Layer 2 vs Layer 3: To Choose a Layer 2 Switch or Layer 3 Switch?
Now that we know the difference between the two layers, what metrics would you choose one over the other comes down to the flexibility of being able to route the packets. If you need to send data within a LAN, use Layer 2 switch. If you need to send the data to other buildings on campus or to a client site, use Layer 3 switch. FS.COM provides a series of Layer2/3 10G/40G/100G switches to meet Data Center and Enterprise Ethernet network requirements. If you are interested, welcome to visit our website www.fs.com or contact us via sales@fs.com for more detailed information.

Related Article: How to Achieve 10GB in Your Home Lab Under $70?

100G CFP Modules Power and Connectors Comparison

In today’s market, only several vendors can provide 100G CFP modules, such as Cisco, Juniper, Brocade and Huawei. In this blog, I will compare the Cisco CFP modules and the Juniper CFP modules, and analyze the power and connectors of these modules.

100GBASE-SR10 CFP Modules
Both Cisco CFP-100G-SR10 and Juniper CFP-100GBASE-SR10 CFP module supports link lengths of 100 meters and 150 meters respectively on laser-optimized OM3 and OM4 multifiber cables. It primarily enables high-bandwidth 100-gigabit links over 24-fiber ribbon cables terminated with MPO/MTP-24 connectors. It can also be used in 10 x 10 Gigabit Ethernet mode along with ribbon to duplex fiber breakout cables for connectivity to ten 10GBASE-SR optical interfaces.

100GBASE-SR10 CFP Modules

100GBASE-LR4 CFP Modules
Both Cisco CFP-100G-LR4 and Juniper CFP-GEN2-100GBASE-LR4 CFP module supports a link length of 10 kilometers on standard duplex single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652). However, the connectors of Cisco CFP-100G-LR4 are duplex SC, and the connectors of Juniper CFP-GEN2-100GBASE-LR4 are duplex LC. 100 Gigabit Ethernet signal is carried over four wavelengths. Multiplexing and demultiplexing of the four wavelengths are managed within the device.

100GBASE-LR4 CFP Modules

100GBASE-ER4 CFP Modules
Both Cisco CFP-100G-ER4 and Juniper CFP-GEN2-CGE-ER4 CFP module can support link lengths up to 40 kilometers on standard duplex single-mode fiber (SMF, G.652). Like the 100GBASE-LR4 CFP modules, the connectors of Cisco CFP-100G-ER4 are duplex SC, and the connectors of Juniper CFP-GEN2-CGE-ER4 are duplex LC. Multiplexing and demultiplexing of the four wavelengths are managed within the device. The 100GBASE-ER4 CFP module meets the IEEE 802.3ba requirements for 100GBASE-ER4 performance and also supports Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM) of the transmit-and-receive optical signal levels.

Tx/Rx Power of Cisco and Juniper 100G CFP Modules
Minimum and maximum Tx/Rx Power of Cisco and Juniper 100G CFP Modules are displayed in the table below. We can see that there is no significant difference between Tx/Rx Power of Cisco and Juniper CFP modules.

P/N	Connector	Transmit Power	Receive Power	Wavelength
Cisco CFP-100G-SR10	OM3 100 m; OM4 150 m 24F-MPO/MTP	min: -7.6 dBm ma: -1.0 dBm	min: -9.5 dBm max: 2.4 dBm	Ten lanes, 840 to 850 nm
Juniper CFP-100GBASE-SR10	OM3 100 m; OM4 150 m 24F-MPO/MTP	min: -7.6 dBm max: 2.4 dBm	min: -9.5 dBm max: 2.4 dBm	840 through 860 nm
Cisco CFP-100G-LR4	10km duplpx SC	min: -4.3 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	min: -10.6 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	Four lanes, 1295.6 nm, 1300.1 nm, 1304.6 nm, and 1309.1 nm
Juniper CFP-GEN2-100GBASE-LR4	10km duplpx LC	min: -4.3 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	min: -10.5 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	1294.53 through 1296.59 nm 1299.02 through 1301.09 nm 1303.54 through 1305.63 nm 1308.09 through 1310.19 nm
Cisco CFP-100G-ER4	40km duplpx SC	min: -2.9 dBm max: 2.9 dBm	min: –20.9 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	Same as CFP-100G-LR4
Juniper CFP-GEN2-CGE-ER4	40km duplpx LC	min: -2.9 dBm max: 2.9 dBm	min: –20.9 dBm max: 4.5 dBm	Same as CFP-GEN2-100GBASE-LR4

As a leading and professional manufacturer and supplier of fiber optic subsystems and components. Fiberstore offers various 100G CFP modules which are ideal solutions for your 100GbE network. Our 100G transceivers are with high compatibility that can be compatible with many major brands. For more information, please contact us over sales@fs.com.

10G SFP+ DAC Cables for Intel X520 Adapter

SFP+ Direct Attach Cables integrate SFP+ compatible connectors with a copper cable into a low-latency, energy-efficient, and low-cost solution. DAC cables are available in several lengths up to 10 meters (33 ft) and are currently the best cabling option for short 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections.

Top-of-Rack (ToR) 10gbe switches use the SFP+ form factor to provide high port density 10 Gigabit Ethernet in an efficient 1U form factor. Server and network storage vendors use 10 Gigabit SFP+ network adapters on their equipment for the same reason. DAC simplify rack cabling and termination. Each server and network storage device can be directly connected to the ToR switch, eliminating the need for intermediate patch panels. DAC are flexible enough for vertical cabling management within the rack architecture. The only cabling outside the rack is the ToR switch uplink connection to the aggregation layer, making moving racks easy.

DAC for Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches application

On the market, there are many 10 Gigabit SFP+ network adapters available. Customers require flexible and scalable network adapters to meet the rigorous requirements of running mission-critical applications in virtualized and unified storage environments. Among Intel X520 adapters seem very popular. Do you use Intel X520 adapters for your servers? Can’t find right and cheap SFP+ DAC cables for the Intel X520? This blog will give the solution.

Intel X520 adapters are provided with 4 models: X520-DA2, X520-SR1, X520-SR2 and X520-LR1. X520-SR1 is shipped with 1 SR SFP+ Optic and X520-SR2 is shipped with 2 SR SFP+ Optics. X520-LR1 is shipped with 1 LR SFP+ Optic. Among X520-DA2 has dual SFP+ ports and has no SFP+ optics shipped, which is the most suitable one for direct attach copper cables and the most popular one on the market.

X520-DA2	X520-SR1	X520-SR2	X520-LR1
Dual-port DAC	Single-port SR fiber	Dual-port SR fiber	Single-port LR fiber

By checking up the Intel X520 adapters data sheet, SFP+ DAC twinaxial cables and SFP+ optics that can be used with X520 adapters are as the following.

Part Name	Intel Product Code	FS.COM Supply
1m SFP+ DAC	XDACBL1M	$11.00 for same-day shipping
3m SFP+ DAC	XDACBL3M	$15.00 for same-day shipping
5m SFP+ DAC	XDACBL5M	$24.00 for same-day shipping
SR SFP+ Optic	E10GSFPSR	$16.00 for same-day shipping
LR SFP+ Optic	E10GSFPLR	$34.00 for same-day shipping

SFP+ direct attach copper twinax cables offer the smallest 10G form factor and a small overall cable diameter for higher density and optimized rack space in 10G uplinks and are ideal for switch and network card connection. FS.COM provides full series of 10G SFP+ cable, which covers a wide range of applications. Both generic and brand compatible versions are available. All SFP+ cables are 100% tested to ensure the compatible and quality.

3rd Party Optical Transceivers vs OEM Switch Warranty

As we all know, 3rd party optical transceivers are much cheaper than Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) optical transceivers. Therefore, more and more companies are using and plan to use 3rd party optical transceivers in their network project. However, many original equipment manufacturer published limited warranty policy about 3rd party hardware. Then should we use 3rd party optical transceivers or not? Let’s get a look at most popular network equipment manufacturer warranty policies firstly.

3rd Party Optical Transceivers

Cisco
The Cisco guideline for support and warranty services for the use of third-party memory, cables, gigabit interface controllers (GBICs), filters, or other non-Cisco components is as follows:

When a customer reports a product fault or defect and Cisco believes the fault or defect can be traced to the use of third-party memory products, cables, GBIC’s, filters, or other non-Cisco components by a customer or reseller, then, at Cisco’s discretion, Cisco may withhold support under warranty or a Cisco support program such as SMARTnet™ service.
When a product fault or defect occurs in the network, and Cisco concludes that the fault or defect is not attributable to the use of third-party memory, cables, GBICs, filters, or other non-Cisco components installed by a customer or reseller, Cisco will continue to provide support for the affected product under warranty or covered by a Cisco support program.

Juniper
Juniper Networks is not obligated to provide services for any of the following:

Third-party devices (hardware, software, cabling, etc.) not provided by Juniper Networks, or problems associated with or arising directly or indirectly from such components. Problems with product that have been installed by any party other than (A) Juniper Networks or (B) a party authorized by Juniper Networks.

Brocade

In order to ensure proper operation of Brocade products, it is required that all Brocade systems utilize only Brocade supplied optical transceiver components. Brocade reserves the right to void warranty and service support offerings if optical transceiver components other than those supplied by Brocade are used in the operation of Brocade products.

This HP Limited Warranty does not apply to expendable or consumable parts, with the exception of HP printing supplies and certain rechargeable batteries as specified below, and does not extend to any HP Hardware Product from which the serial number has been removed or that has been damaged or rendered defective by software, interfacing, parts or supplies not supplied by HP; HP is not responsible for any interoperability or compatibility issues that may arise when products, software, or options not supported by HP are used; If HP equipment is got defective because of using 3rd party hardware, then HP Limited Warranty does not apply.

Dell

What is covered by this limited hardware warranty? – This limited hardware warranty covers defects in materials and workmanship in your Dell-branded hardware products, including Dell-branded peripheral products.

What is not covered by this limited hardware warranty? – Using accessories, parts or components not supplied by Dell & Commercial hardware products that use, or in which have been installed, products or components that have not been provided by Dell.

How long does this limited hardware warranty last? This limited hardware warranty may be voided by Dell, at Dell’s sole discretion, if third party products that were not provided by Dell are installed on your Dell system.

Conclusion
Comparing some of the biggest network equipment vendor warranty policies we see that most of them have similar rules on using 3rd party optical transceivers. If problems are caused by 3rd party optical transceivers, then warranty support will be refused until optical transceivers are changed to OEM ones. In the mean while if defect to vendor’s equipment is caused by 3rd party optical transceiver (and it is proved by vendor) then warranty can also be voided. So, this leads to biggest question – Does 3rd party transceivers ensures the same working and quality standards as OEM optical transceivers?

The answer is yes! Because 3rd party optical transceivers are manufactured and assembled in the same factories where OEM branded ones are. Optical transceivers are standardized by SFP Multi source agreement. This means everyone can manufacture and supply optical transceivers. As a result there is absolutely no difference in hardware for official branded transceiver and reliable 3rd party optical transceiver, as much as four or ten times cost difference. The performance is the same because all manufacturers follow same rules same standards.

If there is no real difference between OEM optical transceivers and 3rd party transceivers, then why network equipment vendors has such strict warranty policies? That is because network equipment manufacturers has to make money. They will use all available resources to sell more of their production. So they make warranty policies which psychologically affects their customers, making them think that there will problems (warranty void) if they will use other vendor equipment’s (transceivers) in their OEM devices.

As the leading global manufacturer and supplier of compatible optical transceiver modules, Fiberstore (FS.COM) always specialized in compatibility breakthrough and insisted on the high performance of the optical components. Most of the common used transceivers which are designed to be compatible with many major brands are in stock and with very competitive prices for your options.

Fiber Optic Cabling Solutions

The largest solutions of pre-terminated fiber optics, including multimode and single-mode patch cords, MTP/MPO fiber trunks and harnesses, plug-n-play modules/cassettes and fiber enclosures.