Compatible SFPs - Save On Your Infrastructure Costs
As networks continue to grow in size the need for bandwidth is ever increasing.
Fibre optic cabling is now a large part of any infrastructure transferring data at rapid rates with 10 Gigabit Ethernet now becoming common place.
Fibre optic links are now used in most areas requiring building to building transmission, link aggregation (or trunking) for high bandwidth LANs (Local Area Networks) and SANs (Storage Area Networks) as well as switch to switch links.
Most data centres turned to fibre optic links to carry critical data over cross-connects from ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
For many network professionals outside of a large data centre environment the links are often added after an initial installation of network infrastructure.
Usually this happens as a result of a new switch being added or even a new building needed to connect into the existing infrastructure.
This will mean that the fibre link may not have been included in any initial budget and therefore can bring unexpected costs.
In the case of a building to building link you would have the cost of the fibre optic cable, possible duct work from a cable installer and this is even before the hardware requirement is factored in.
The hardware side will require a switch transceiver module, which are nearly always an additional purchase and switch vendors will want you to only use their branded versions.
Heavily overpriced accessories are where vendors make their margin but is there an option? You may have read that manufacturers of switches and routers only recommend the use of branded switch modules (SFPs/GBICs and XFPs) with their devices.
You may also have read on some forums that using 'invalid' SFPs voids the host device warranty.
In truth this is a popular misconception which manufacturers capitalise on by supplying overpriced modules.
By using a compatible switch module such as an SFP does not affect host device warranties.
This is outlined in any warranty documentation you will receive with the device from the manufacturer.
Advance transceivers are an excellent example of where savings can be made, a compatible Cisco GLC-SX-MM SFP module can be over 60% lower in cost than the OEM unit.
The cost savings can have an even greater impact on a budget when looking at large scale deployments or link aggregation.
Most compatible SFP manufacturers are now offering greater warranty periods to persuade buyers of the quality of these units.
This makes the compatible version far more attractive, as not only is there a huge cost advantage but manufacturers such as Advance now offer a standard 'lifetime' warranty.
The protection is now far greater than with an OEM product with Cisco, HP and Brocade only offering a 12 month replacement warranty on these products.
Fibre optic cabling is now a large part of any infrastructure transferring data at rapid rates with 10 Gigabit Ethernet now becoming common place.
Fibre optic links are now used in most areas requiring building to building transmission, link aggregation (or trunking) for high bandwidth LANs (Local Area Networks) and SANs (Storage Area Networks) as well as switch to switch links.
Most data centres turned to fibre optic links to carry critical data over cross-connects from ISPs (Internet Service Providers).
For many network professionals outside of a large data centre environment the links are often added after an initial installation of network infrastructure.
Usually this happens as a result of a new switch being added or even a new building needed to connect into the existing infrastructure.
This will mean that the fibre link may not have been included in any initial budget and therefore can bring unexpected costs.
In the case of a building to building link you would have the cost of the fibre optic cable, possible duct work from a cable installer and this is even before the hardware requirement is factored in.
The hardware side will require a switch transceiver module, which are nearly always an additional purchase and switch vendors will want you to only use their branded versions.
Heavily overpriced accessories are where vendors make their margin but is there an option? You may have read that manufacturers of switches and routers only recommend the use of branded switch modules (SFPs/GBICs and XFPs) with their devices.
You may also have read on some forums that using 'invalid' SFPs voids the host device warranty.
In truth this is a popular misconception which manufacturers capitalise on by supplying overpriced modules.
By using a compatible switch module such as an SFP does not affect host device warranties.
This is outlined in any warranty documentation you will receive with the device from the manufacturer.
Advance transceivers are an excellent example of where savings can be made, a compatible Cisco GLC-SX-MM SFP module can be over 60% lower in cost than the OEM unit.
The cost savings can have an even greater impact on a budget when looking at large scale deployments or link aggregation.
Most compatible SFP manufacturers are now offering greater warranty periods to persuade buyers of the quality of these units.
This makes the compatible version far more attractive, as not only is there a huge cost advantage but manufacturers such as Advance now offer a standard 'lifetime' warranty.
The protection is now far greater than with an OEM product with Cisco, HP and Brocade only offering a 12 month replacement warranty on these products.
