Recent years, telecom industry develops rapidly. Data center, as the central nervous system of the whole network building, becomes larger and larger in size, with more and more complicated cabling system. To make cabling easy and ensure network performance at the same time, a type of cable characterized by light weight and high transmission rate is needed. Fiber optic cable is such type of cable. In addition, optical fiber cable can be divided into different types, such as singlemode fiber, multimode fiber, simplex cable, duplex cable and so on. This article will focus on multimode fiber price comparison and I hope it can help you choose cost-effective multimode fiber cabling solution.
Singlemode and Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
We know that singlemode fiber cable is used for long-haul optical link, while multimode fiber cable is suitable for short-reach network. In fact, singlemode systems are usually, but not always more expensive because of the laser diodes and precise calibration required to inject light into the cable. The result of singlemode and multimode fiber price comparison is negligible, but singlemode devices often cost more.
Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Now on the market, there are five types of multimode fiber jumpers: OM1, OM2, OM3, OM4 and OM5. In addition, multimode fiber cable varies from each other depending on fiber count, connector type, jacket material and so on. This part will make comparison from different levels. Firstly, let’s take FS.COM multimode fiber for example.
OM1 Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Materialv
Price
OM1
5 m
LC to LC
Simplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 1.80
OM1
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 3.50
OM1
5 m
SC to SC
Simplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 1.80
OM1
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 3.50
OM2 Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Material
Price
OM2
5 m
LC to LC
Simplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 1.72
OM2
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 3.50
OM2
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 3.70
OM2
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 3.50
OM2
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 3.70
OM3 Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Material
Price
OM3
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 4.00
OM3
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 4.20
OM3
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
OFNP
US$ 5.40
OM3
5 m
SC to SC
Simplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 2.00
OM3
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 4.00
OM3
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 4.20
OM3
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
OFNP
US$ 5.40
OM4 Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Material
Price
OM4
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 5.20
OM4
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 5.40
OM4
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
OFNP
US$ 6.60
OM4
5 m
SC to SC
Simplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 2.60
OM4
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 5.20
OM4
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 5.40
OM4
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
OFNP
US$ 6.60
OM5 Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Material
Price
OM5
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 15.00
OM5
5 m
LC to LC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 15.00
OM5
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
PVC(OFNR)
US$ 15.00
OM5
5 m
SC to SC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 15.00
Different Brands Multimode Fiber Price Comparison
Brand
Type
Cable Length
Connector Type
Fiber Count
Jacket Material
Price
Amazon
OM3
10 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC
US$ 36.86
Newegg
OM3
10 m
LC to LC
Duplex
LSZH
US$ 20.32
C2G
OM3
10 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC
US$ 40.99
Monoprice
OM3
10 m
LC to LC
Duplex
OFNR
US$ 18.55
FS.COM
OM3
10 m
LC to LC
Duplex
PVC
US$ 5.70
It’s not difficult to find that multimode patch cord price has three grades: OM1 fiber and OM2 fiber, OM3 fiber cable and OM4 fiber cable, OM5 fiber. In addition, duplex multimode patch cable is more expensive than simplex multimode patch cable. As for the comparison among different brands, FS.COM is the cheapest.
Conclusion
From the above multimode fiber price comparison, we can conclude that multimode fiber cable is a cost-effective cabling solution for network connection over short distance. But before you buy multimode patch cable, you have to make sure which type, connector type or jacket material is suitable for your network building, then choose a cheap one to save cost.
For networking builders, network switch is an essential component in their networking building plan. In a network deployment, switch channels incoming data from any of multiple input ports to the specific output port that will take the data toward its intended destination. Besides, to achieve high performance level, there are different types of switches in networking. This article will introduce different types of switches in networking to help you choose a suitable one for your networking.
LAN Switch
Local area network switches or LAN switches are usually used to connect points on a company's internal LAN. It is also known as a data switch or an Ethernet switch. It blocks the overlap of data packets running through a network by the economical allocation of bandwidth. The LAN switch delivers the transmitted data packet before directing it to its planned receiver. These types of switches reduce network congestion or bottlenecks by distributing a package of data only to its intended recipient.
Unmanaged Switch
Unmanaged network switches are frequently used in home networks, small companies and businesses. It permits devices on the network to connect with each other, such as computer to computer or printer to computer in one location. An unmanaged switch does not necessarily need to be configured or watched. It is simple and easy to set up. If you want to add more Ethernet ports, you can use these plug and play types of switches in networking.
Managed Switch
Compared to unmanaged switches, the advantage of managed switches is that they can be customized to enhance the functionality of a certain network. They offer some features like QoS (Quality of Service), Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) and so on. These types of switches in networking can support a range of advanced features designed to be controlled by a professional administrator. In addition, there is smart switch, a type of managed switch. It has some features that managed switch has, but are more limited. Smart network switch is usually used for the networking devices such as VLANs.
PoE Switch
PoE Gigabit Ethernet switch is a network switch that utilizes Power over Ethernet technology. When connected with multiple other network devices, PoE switches can support power and data transmission over one network cable at the same time. This greatly simplifies the cabling process. These types of switches in networking provide greater flexibility and you will never have to worry about power outlet when deploying network devices.
Stackable Switch
Stackable switches provide a way to simplify and increase the availability of the network. For example, instead of configuring, managing, and troubleshooting eight 48-port switches individually, you can manage all eight like a single unit using a stackable Switches. With a true stackable switch, those eight switches (total 384 ports) function as a single switch—there is a single SNMP/RMON agent, single Spanning Tree domain, single CLI or Web interface. There are valuable operational advantages to use these types of switches in networking, such as you can create link aggregation groups spanning across multiple units in the stack, port mirror traffic from one unit in the stack to another, or setup ACLs/QoS spanning all the units.
Conclusion
This article briefly introduces five types of switches in networking: LAN switch, unmanaged switch, managed switch, PoE switch and stackable switch. All of them have their own characteristics and are used in different network deployment. I hope you can have a better understanding on them after reading the article.
As long as there is network deployment, gigabit switch is always the hot spot. According to different standards, ethernet switches have various types, such as 1 gigabit switch, 10 gigabit switch, 40 gigabit switch and 100g ethernet switch. Also, there are network switches classified by port number, such as 8 port, 24 port and 48 port. This article will recommend several 48 port Gigabit switches for you.
48 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 1—Dell PowerConnect 5548 Switch
Dell PowerConnect 5548 switch has 48 auto-sensing Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) switching ports and it provides exceptional performance through a switch fabric capacity of 176 Gbps, 2 HDMI stacking sorts with 10Gb per port for 40Gb total per switch, and a forwarding rate of 100.2 Mpps. In addition, Dell PowerConnect 5548 switch offers wire-speed performance that can grow alongside your evolving business needs. The price is about $495.00.
48 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 2—Ubiquiti US-48 Unifi Switch
Ubiquiti US-48 Unifi switch is designed with 48 Gigabit RJ45 ports, 2 SFP ports and 2 SFP+ ports. For its total, non—blocking throughput, Ubiquiti US-48 Unifi switch supports up to 70 Gbps. And it can offer 140 Gbps forwarding capacity to simultaneously process traffic on all ports at line rate without any packet loss. Ubiquiti US-48 Unifi switch is a fully managed switch, delivering robust performance and intelligent switching for your growing networks. The price is about $397.53.
48 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 3—TP-Link TL-SG1048 Switch
TP-Link TL-SG1048 switch is designed to meet the needs of the most demanding workgroup and departmental connectivity requirements. It provides 48 10/100/1000Mbps ports. Besides, it combines ease of use with unsurpassed performance resulting in an exceptional value for any cost-conscious network administrator who wants the best possible solution at the best possible price $271.99. TP-Link TL-SG1048 switch is a reliable, easy-to-use switch without the complexity of management.
48 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 4—FS S1600-48T4S Switch
FS S1600-48T4S switch is a PoE switch comes with 48 10/100/1000Base-T RJ45 Ethernet ports, 1 console port, 4 SFP+ slots. It offers enterprise-class features, high-performance of both hardware and software , stable and reliable fast Ring Protection Protocol(RSTP), free configuration, strong network security, convenient management and maintenance. This 48 port switch price is about $689.00.
48 Port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 5—Quanta LB4M Switch
Quanta LB4M switch offers 48 Gbit ports and 2 SFP+ ports that makes it stackable and suitable to scenarios that require a strong scalability. These ports can function in 10 GBE switching mode, or in HiGig+ Uplink mode. It is a Layer 2 and Layer 3 switch with IPv6 and clustering features. The price of Quanta LB4M switch is about $225.00.
Conclusion
High density port switch is popular with small business data center. And 48 port gigabit switch is a heat topic. This article recommends five cheap 48 port switches for you and I hope it can help you make a choice for your network deployment.
When it comes to network switch, we usually ask about the port type on the switch and the number of port, such as twenty-four 10/100/1000 Mbps ports and four SFP+ ports. If you have used managed switch in your network deployment, you must have heard about uplink port or normal port. How much do you know about them? Is there any difference between them? This article will guide you to learn about uplink port vs. normal port on switch.
Uplink Port Vs. Normal Port: Connect to Different Devices
The uplink port on switch is used to connect a device or smaller local network to a larger network, or connect to the next "higher" device in the topology. For example, edge switch connects "up" to distribution layer managed switch. Also in computer network, hub, unmanaged switch and router typically designate one Ethernet port as the uplink port. And it may be labeled WAN or Internet instead of uplink. This type of port simplify connects different types of Ethernet devices to each other, such as when linking a local home network to a modem and the Internet. While normal port on switch is used to connect end user PC or server and all. In most cases, uplink ports have more bandwidth as compared to normal ports as they aggregate traffic between different layers.
Uplink Port Vs. Normal Port: Connect to Different Cables
Each Ethernet interface has two transmit pins and two receive pins. To achieve the link connection, the transmit pins at one end of network cable have to be connected to the receive pins at the other end. An uplink port does not crossover the transmit and receive pins, but a regular port does. Therefore, when two network switches are connected together with a straight-through cable, then one end must be uplink port and one end must be normal port. If a crossover cable is used to connect them, then the ports at both ends must be the same kind of port. Here is a figure for you to have a better understanding of this.
Uplink Port Vs. Normal Port: Additional Information about Shared Port and Dual-purposed Port
Some older network equipment specially configured a normal port next to the uplink port and linked the two together as a pair. Specifically, the hardware logic of these products supported connections to either the uplink port, or the normal shared port, but not both. Connecting devices to both ports of a shared port device stops the unit from functioning properly. Nowadays, many network equipment offer a dual-purpose port which can function either as an uplink or a normal port depending on the type of device connected to it.
Conclusion
In fact, uplink port can serve as normal port. Therefore, there are no big differences between them. The only difference is that uplink port is connected to higher layer network device to aggregate the bandwidth and must be connected to the normal port on another network device. I hope after reading this article, you can be clear on uplink port vs. normal port on switch.
We know that router plays an important role when building home network. It provides IP addresses to devices on your network as well as to route traffic to and from the internet. However, router usually has four Ethernet ports (LAN ports). That means you can only connect four network devices to the router via Ethernet cable. Is there any method to add more Ethernet ports? Of course, Ethernet switch can do that. This article will recommend several cheap 8 port Gigabit switches for you.
Cheap 8 port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 1—TP-Link TL-SG108 Switch
TP-Link TL-SG108 8 port Gigabit switch is featured with eight 10/100/1000Mbps ports. It utilizes the latest innovative energy-efficient technologies that can greatly expand your network capacity with much less power. It costs about $24.99. TP-Link TL-SG108 switch is an eco-friendly solution for your home network.
Cheap 8 port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 2—Trendnet TEG-S82G Switch
Trendnet TEG-S82G 8 port Gigabit switch is a compact, plug and play gigabit switch. It has 8 Gigabit auto-negotiation ports and it utilizes GREENnet technology to reduce power consumption by up to 70%. In addition, Trendnet TEG-S82G switch can boost your home efficiency and eliminate network congestion with Gigabit speeds and total switching capacity of 16 Gbps with Full-Duplex Mode. The price is about $22.99.
Cheap 8 port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 3—D-Link DGS-1008G Switch
D-Link DGS-1008G 8 port Gigabit switch is part of D-Link’s comprehensive family of home devices that make use of D-Link’s Green Technology, providing energy savings, reduced heat, and a longer product life without sacrificing performance or functionality. D-Link DGS-1008G switch supports up to 1 Gbps of dedicated bandwidth per port and up to 2 Gbps bandwidth in full-duplex mode. The price is about $24.99.
Cheap 8 port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 4—Linksys SE3008 Switch
Linksys SE3008 8 port Gigabit switch allows you to add up to eight devices to your home network with plug-and-play installation. The Gigabit ports provide 10 times faster connection than ordinary 10/100 Ethernet connections. Linksys SE3008 switch also uses energy-saving technology that power saver detects unused ports to minimize power usage. In addition, its Gigabit ports is auto-sensing which can adjust to maximize data flow rates for 10/100/1000 Mbps. The price is about $37.88.
Cheap 8 port Gigabit Switch Recommendation 5—TP-Link TL-SG1008D Switch
TP-Link TL-SG1008D 8 port Gigabit switch provides you an easy way to make the transition to Gigabit Ethernet. It can Increase the speed of your network server and backbone connections, or make Gigabit to the desktop a reality. Moreover, TP-Link TL-SG1008D switch adopts lower power consumption design. With the innovative energy-efficient technology, the switch can save up to 80% of the power consumption, making it an eco-friendly solution for your home network. This 8 port gigabit switch price is about $19.99.
Conclusion
All the above 8 port Gigabit switches are easy to use. They provide plug and play installations and can save the power consumption. And I hope this article can help you choose the best 8 port gigabit switch for your home network.
The increasing demand of higher bandwidth has become a trend, which push the development of the transmission media. Fiber optic cable is now popular among many users. Consisting of one or more optical fibers, fiber optic cable is used to transmit large amounts of information over longer distances and at higher bandwidths. It plays an important role in optic communication network. This article will focus on practical knowledge about fiber optic cable.
Overview of Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber optic cable has five parts: the core, the cladding, the coating, strengthening fibers and the cable jacket. You can have a basic understanding of the construction of fiber optic cable from the following figure. Fiber optic cable has many types according to different categories, such as singlemode fiber optic cable and multimode fiber optic cable, simplex fiber optic cable and duplex fiber optic cable, indoor cable and outdoor cable, etc. In addition, the common form of fiber optic cable used in networking application is fiber patch cable. Terminated with fiber optic connectors on both ends, fiber patch cable also has many types, such as LC fiber optic cable and SC fiber optic cable.
Advantages And Disadvantages of Fiber Optic Cable
The Advantages of Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber optic cable has a higher capacity of transmission data rate than most other transmission mediums.
Fiber optic cable can directly upgrade the transmission capacity without replacing the cable.
Fiber optic cable is less susceptible to interference.
Fiber optic cable is secure. It is difficult to tap because it does not emit signals that can be monitored.
Fiber optic cable is light in weight.
The Disadvantages of Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber optic cable is expensive—but price has dropped and it becomes more popular.
Fiber optic cable is difficult to install, because it is susceptible to damage from the environment as well as during the cabling.
Applications of Fiber Optic Cable
Fiber optic cable is widely used in big data center, like 10G, 40G and 100G network, and it is usually used with fiber optic transceiver. Take Ethernet 40G for example, there are 40G QSFP+ SR4 transceiver and 40G QSFP+ LR4 transceiver. The former one is with MTP/MPO interface, so it has to be used with MTP/MPO fiber cable; the latter one is with LC interface, so it has to be used with LC to LC fiber cable single mode.
Fiber optic cable also gains great popularity among home networking users. Recently, some residential internet providers have invested in extending their fiber installations to suburban neighborhoods for direct access by households, such as FTTH (Fiber to the Home) and FTTD (Fiber to the Desk) project.
What’s more, fiber optic cable is applied in different fields, such as mechanical inspections, surgery and dentistry, military and space application, automotive industry, and so on.
Conclusion
As an advanced transmission media, fiber optic cable provides a convenient, cost-effective and easy solution to networking applications. This article mainly introduce the advantages and disadvantages as well as applications of fiber optic cable. And I hope after reading the article, you can have a better understanding of fiber optic cable.
Fiber patch cable plays an important role in optical links. It is a fiber optic cable terminated with one fiber optic connector on both ends. Among the various types of fiber patch cables, LC to LC patch cable and SC fiber optic cable are two of the most commonly used fiber patch cables. It is not difficult to understand that the difference between LC and SC fiber patch cable lies in LC connector and SC connector. So, learning about LC connector and SC connector will help you know more about LC and SC fiber patch cable.
Overview of LC Connector And SC Connector
LC connector has a push and latch structure, with plastic shell and accurate 1.25mm ceramic ferrule. It is in small size and has good performance. Standing for Subscriber Connector or Square Connector or Standard Connector, SC connector is a kind of push and pull connector. It has a locking tab which can make accurate alignment through ceramic ferrule. The following figure shows LC connector and SC connector.
Comparison Between LC Connector And SC Connector
This part will make comparison between LC connector and SC connector from three aspects: size, handing and application.
Size: LC connector is half the size of SC connector. The ceramic ferrule of LC connector is 1.25mm, while SC connector’s ceramic ferrule is 2.5mm.
Handing: LC is a push and latch connector while SC is a push and pull connector. You can have better understanding of this from the above figure.
Application: Structured with half the footprint of the SC connector gives LC connector huge popularity in data communication and other high-density patch applications. In addition, the combination of small size and latch feature makes LC connector very popular and widely used for dense installation. While SC connector features low cost, simplicity as well as good durability, and it remains the second most common connector for polarization maintaining applications. The SC connector is ideally suited for data communication and telecommunication applications including point to point and passive optical networking.
Another Fiber Patch Cable
As LC connector and SC connector have their own advantages, both LC patch cable and SC patch cable are widely used in optical network deployment. But, is there a kind of fiber patch cable that combines LC connector and SC connector? The answer is “Yes”. There is a kind of SC to LC patch cable on the market. As the figure below shows, it is a high quality 50/125μm OM4 multimode fiber patch cable. This LC to SC cable is housed in a PVC (OFNR) retardant jacket, with UPC polish. It support 850/1300nm wavelength. It’s a great option for high-speed, high bandwidth transmissions over Gigabit Ethernet/fiber channel networks.
Conclusion
As the demand for higher bandwidth is increasing, fiber patch cable is commonly used in network deployment. Both LC patch cable and SC patch cable are designed to achieve such a kind of transmission, and they have their own advantages. What’s more, LC to SC fiber patch cable is also available to realize the transmission between devices terminated with LC and SC connector.
The rapid development of telecom technology is driving the increasing need for higher bandwidth in data center. In recent years, 10GBASE-T technology, which uses twisted-pair copper cabling and RJ45 interfaces, has been utilized by many data center managers. When it comes to 10GBASE-T, we firstly think of Ethernet network cable, such as Cat6 UTP cable and Cat6a cable which support 10G speed over 55 meters and 100 meters respectively. They are cheap and easy to run in data center. And this is just one of the most prominent characteristics of 10GBASE-T technology. This article is going to give a detailed introduction to characteristics of 10GBASE-T.
Background of 10GBASE-T
In data center, fiber optics also generally gain popularity because of their high speed and low latency. Many data center managers choose to use a combination of Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cables for short distances (up to 7 meters for Top-of-Rack connections) and fiber optic cabling for longer distances (for End-of-Row connections) to fulfill the migration to 10GbE networks. However, the costs associated with a Top-of-Rack switch and expensive cabling and optics limited the widespread adoption, especially in data centers where 1GbE is already broadly deployed. On the contrary, 10GBASE-T is backward compatible with 1000BASE-T, and it can be deployed in existing infrastructures that are cabled with Cat6 and Cat6a or greater cabling, helping data center managers to keep costs down while offering an easy migration path to 10GbE. Therefore, 10GBASE-T technology is extensively used. From the chart below, we can clearly see the growing trend of 10GBASE-T.
Characteristics of 10GBASE-T
Reach: DAC cables support 10Gbps over very short distances, while 10GBASE-T technology can reach much longer reach with Cat6a cable, up to 100 meters. This makes 10GBASE-T cabling with Cat6a the best universal solution for 10GbE requirements in today’s data centers.
Backward compatibility: 10GBASE-T is backward compatible with 1000BASE-T, so it can work with existing structured cabling system. Unlike SFP+ cabling, a 10GBASE-T connection can auto-negotiate and auto-select the proper port speed when plugged into a GbE port. This gives data center managers much flexibility in cabling system.
Installation: Fiber optic cable is easily damaged, while Cat6 cable and Cat6a cable are easy to manage. Even if you want to DIY your own cable length, you just need bulk Ethernet cable, crimping tools and RJ45 connectors. As RJ45 connectors are compatible with existing 1GbE infrastructure, the installation of Cat6 and Cat6a cable is easy.
Power: When 10GBASE-T standard was released at the beginning, 10GBASE-T PHYs consumed too much power which limited its widespread adoption. With process improvements, both the power and cost of the latest generation of 10GBASE-T PHYs have reduced.
Cost: Fiber optic cable is more expensive than Ethernet network cable, and usually fiber optic cable is used for long transmission distance application. While Cat6 cable and Cat6a cable are low cost, which can provide cost-effective and easy-to-use solution for 10GBASE-T short distance network deployment.
Conclusion
10GbE has been the mainstream of telecom data center right now. The low cost and easy installation of 10GBASE-T makes it widely applied. In addition, 10GBASE-T provides investment protection via backward compatibility with 1GbE networks. On the market, there are not only Cat6 cable and Cat6a cable for 10GBASE-T cabling, but also some other 10GBASE-T products, such as 10GBASE-T switch and 10GBASE-T adapter. These simplifies data center networking deployments by providing an easier path to 10GbE infrastructure. These characteristics of 10GBASE-T will help drive 10GBASE-T to a prominent place in the data center.
When deploying the cabling system, sometimes you may encounter such situation when there is already brand A switch, but you got brand B optical transceiver. Then, the compatible issue is what you most worry about. Just like the following figure shows, Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver definitely works well when plugged into 10G SFP+ port on Cisco switch, so does HP SFP-10G-SR transceiver with HP switch. But when you plug Cisco SFP-10G-SR transceiver into 10G SFP+ port on HP switch, will the link perform well? The answer is “Yes”. However, not all cases that mix brands will get the answer “Yes”. There are still some important aspects that you have to take into consideration. This article will focus on compatible issues of optical transceiver.
Important Aspects of Optical Transceiver
To ensure the whole link works at high performance level, before you use mixed-brand optical transceiver and switch, there are some important aspects of optical transceiver that you must think about.
Standard
We know that optical transceiver has different standards, such as 10GBASE-SR, 10GBASE-LR, 10GBASE-ER, 10GBASE-ZR, 10GBASE-T, and so on. Different standards are applied to different network infrastructure. And you have to pay attention that you use optical transceivers of the same standard at each end, for example: both sides with 10GBASE-SR SFP module. You can’t connect 10GBASE-SR SFP module with 10GBASE-T SFP+ transceiver. Otherwise, you have to undertake the risk of link failure.
Port
Usually, there are multiple ports on the switch. Take 10G switch for example, it often has about 24 SFP ports and 2 10G SFP+ ports. And some may have 10G RJ45 port. It is not hard to understand that you plug SFP module into SFP port, 10G SFP+ module into 10G SFP+ port, and plug 10G copper SFP into 10G RJ45 port. But in fact, some SFP modules can work in SFP+ port, only performing at 1G speed. While 10G SFP+ will only work for 10G SFP+ port. Therefore, remember to check if you plug the optical transceiver into the right port on the switch.
Wavelength
Optical transceiver works at a certain wavelength, such as 850nm, 1310nm or 1550nm. It is essential that the wavelength of the optical transceivers on both end matches. Because a transceiver working at 1310nm will not talk to a transceiver working at 850nm. The wrong wavelength may cause loss and degradation along the optical link. So, make sure your transceivers will work at the same wavelength.
Cable Type
Optical transceiver must be used with corresponding fiber optic cable. For example, 10G SFP+ transceiver made for multimode fiber isn’t going to work well with singlemode fiber. Besides, though the transceiver is used with multimode fiber, OM3 or OM4 may have different results. But the most important thing is that you have to choose the cable according to the standard of the optical transceiver as well as its interface.
Conclusion
From the above content we can conclude that, in most cases, when connecting two optical transceivers of different brands, the optical link will work well as long as you use optical transceivers with the same standard and wavelength, plug it into the right port and choose the suitable cable type.
Network technology is developing rapidly. To keep up with the trend, data centers are required to upgrade constantly, from 10G to 40G, 40G to 100G and even 100G to 400G. However, for some small business data centers with 1G infrastructures, directly migrating from 1G to 10G is a little fast. Is there any slower Ethernet standards to fill the gap between 1G Ethernet and 10G Ethernet speeds? The answer is Yes—2.5 Ethernet and 5G Ethernet. This article will talk about 2.5G and 5G.
Overview of 2.5G And 5G
The physical (PHY) layer transmission technology of IEEE 802.3bz is based on 10GBASE-T, but operates at a lower signaling rate. By reducing the original signal rate to 1/4 or 1/2, the transfer rate drops to 2.5 or 5 Gbit/s, respectively. The spectral bandwidth of the signal is reduced accordingly, lowering the requirements on the cabling, so that 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T can be deployed at a cable length of 100 meters on unshielded Cat5e cable and Cat6 cable, respectively. The following figure shows the comparison of twisted pair based Ethernet technologies.
Cons And Pros of 2.5G/5G Ethernet Standards
As 2.5G and 5G Ethernet standards came out after 10G Ethernet standard, there are mixed reviews for them. This part will focus on cons and pros of 2.5G/5G Ethernet standards.
Cons of 2.5G And 5G
When 2.5G Ethernet and 5G Ethernet standards came out, many people didn’t think much of them. They commented that:
5GBase-T and 5GBase-T are more going to be used for wifi rollouts. And they are pretty much strictly for enterprise wireless deployments.
10GbE is getting pretty cheap. Lots of new desktop motherboards now have 10G NICs inside them and the premium seems to be less than $100 too, which isn't too bad. What's missing is a bunch of 10G home switches and routers.
As for the availability, the 10G has 2 models out while the 2.5G and 5G are both "coming soon". Due to the economies of scale and the penetration, 10G already has IMO. While 2.5G and 5G will never be widely adopted or supported.
There are not that many chip sets that support 2.5G Ethernet and 5G Ethernet yet as they really only got finalized. Also, most cards that support them right now also support 10Gbe.
Pros of 2.5G And 5G
What exists is reasonable. One estimate is that there are 70 billion meters of Cat5e and Cat6 cabling have been sold between 2003 and 2014. With such a significant amount of existing infrastructure at stake, it's hardly surprising that most enterprises want to extend the existing cabling, component and equipment investments in the standard Ethernet wireless closet. Therefore, it is not difficult to find that 2.5G Ethernet and 5G Ethernet standards have their advantages.
Cat5 and Cat6 cabling can’t support 10G Ethernet up to 100 meters, but they will be able to support the emerging 2.5Gbps and 5Gbps standards, thereby preserving the value of the existing copper cable plant.
Adopting new 2.5G and 5G can satisfy the need of increasing data rates of wireless networking. The new 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard increases wireless bandwidth, supporting Ethernet speeds of 1.7 Gbps to 2.5 Gbps. With the coming of the next generation of wireless networking, 802.11ac Wi-Fi Wave 2, wireless network speeds could increase to as high as 6.8 Gbps.
Besides the need from the Wi-Fi industry, a 2.5G/5G version will also aid in other applications such as enterprise infrastructure, cellular Wi-Fi offloads, small cells, security cameras, multiple industrial uses and PoE technology.
These two new Ethernet standards have plenty of attributes to ensure success, such as ease of use, backward compatibility, faster speeds without requiring a cable upgrade, incremental speed upgrades, multi-vendor interoperability, not to mention optimized cost and performance.
Conclusion
From the above content, we can conclude that 2.5G/5G Ethernet standards have both pros and cons. For those who want to upgrade cabling system to 10G, 2.5G/5G is not useful. While for small business and home network, 2.5G/5G is a cost-effective solution. No matter what your cable plant is, choosing a suitable migration path is the most important thing.
