Optic Transceivers Used in Switch

You may meet fiber optic transceivers when using switch, the SFP and SFP+ ports are the most common currently. Here are two tips lead you know more about optic modules.

Basical Types of 10G SFP+ Optic Transceivers-SR - basic MMF(multi-mode fiber) optic, supports FDDI MMF up to 26m, OM3 up to 300m, OM4 up to 400m.-SR-X - multi-rate -SR, -SW, OTU2/OTU2e for extended temperatures.-LRM - "L" optic, but for MMF - supports 220m on FDDI grade.-LR - basic SMF optic, 10km over G.652 SMF.-LR-X - multi-rate -LR, -LW, OTU2/OTU2e for extended temperatures.-ER - 40km on SMF.-ZR - multi-rate -ZR, -ZW, OTU2/OTU2e, 80km over SMF.On top of that, Cisco has some -S optics that are cheaper - ex. SFP-10G-SR-S instead of just -SR. They're ideal for Enterprise networks that only need LAN-PHY/Ethernet.Whatever vendor you use, you'll eventually get used to all the various versions of their optics one way or another.

PS: SX and LX, generally speaking. SX is for Multimode, and is cheaper, but shorter range than LX, which is Singlemode and can easily go for kilometers. (you can remember this by just thinking "Short-range X" and "Long-range X").

Will Using 3rd Party Transceivers Affect the Switch Warranty?

The short answer is: No! The reason they cannot void your warranty is that they are prohibited by law from doing so. Voiding of a warranty in this situation would be violating what is defined in the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act of 1975 (15 United States Code section 2302(c)) as a "Tie-In Sales" provision.

Of course the OEM switch manufacturer's warranty would not cover any 3rd party optics deployed in their switches.

The cost of optical transceivers (SFP, SFP+, XFP, etc.) sourced from Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) like Cisco, HP and Juniper are far higher than that from 3rd party. While there are some advantages to implementing a "brand homogenous" network, a Google search quickly reveals the huge pricing disparity in optical transceiver pricing between OEMs and many 3rd party, or "aftermarket" suppliers. For most customers, the savings from purchasing aftermarket transceivers far exceeds the economic value of brand homogeneity. That is why IT network operators have been switching in droves to 3rd party optics over the past few years.

en.OFweek is a B2B marketplace focused on high-tech areas, in this optical communication subcategory, collecting various fiber optic transceiver suppliers & manufacturers, almost covering all the types of optic modules.