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Have you ever noticed the existence of optical transceiver modules such as SFP (hereafter referred to as optical transceivers) that are used as a set with network equipment? Unless you are particularly conscious of optical transceivers, I think most people have installed genuine optical transceivers (hereinafter referred to as genuine products) specified by network equipment manufacturers.
In addition to genuine products, there are options for third-party products for optical transceivers. So, are third-party products okay? While solving the question, we will delve into the merits and cautions from a technical point of view. As an example of a third-party product, we will take Finisar (currently a division of II-VI incorporated), the largest optical transceiver manufacturer.
This article is the first in a series [How to start "Third Party Optics"].
In this series, from the perspective of optical transceiver engineers, we will provide useful information for those who are interested in third-party optics and those who are actually considering introducing them.
What are Third Party Optics?
"Third-party optics", which is also in the series name, is a general term for third-party optical transceivers, and conforms to the same standards as genuine products.
Genuine products from equipment manufacturers have the advantage of being able to be introduced and operated with peace of mind, such as extensive maintenance support, so it can be said that it is the right choice.
On the other hand, when considering the introduction of a high-speed interface such as 100G in order to cope with the ever-increasing traffic, I saw the estimated price of genuine products and gave up on the introduction because the budget did not come to an agreement. or 10G interface?
I would like everyone who has such a problem to know about the existence of a new option called "third party optics". Starting with hyperscale data centers in North America, it is now being adopted by telecommunications carriers and companies with relatively large-scale network infrastructure.
We will unravel the appeal of such "third-party optics".
Three Characteristics of Third-Party Optics
- Conforms to the same standards as the manufacturer's genuine products
- Abundant lineup
- Must have technical knowledge and build it yourself
1. Conforms to the same standards as the manufacturer's genuine products
Optical transceivers are used to connect different devices in optical communications, so standards have been established in detail for interoperability.
There are two main standards that optical transceivers, whether genuine or third-party optics, must adhere to.
- IEEE 802.3 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: Network standard established by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
- MSA Multi-Source Agreement: A standard agreed between vendors involved in optical communications
IEEE 802.3 primarily specifies optical or electrical performance, while MSA primarily specifies form factor.
As an example, take a look at the datasheet for Finisar's QSFP28 optical transceiver.
XII. References lists the standards that this product complies with as a QSFP28 optical transceiver. 1. lists the MSA standards that it complies with, and 2. lists the IEEE 802.3 standards that it complies with. I'm here.
Even third-party optics comply with these standards as well as genuine products, so there are no technical concerns about interoperability between devices.
2. Abundant lineup
Although the lineup of genuine products specified by the equipment manufacturer is limited, there is a wide lineup of third-party optics, covering almost all MSA standards. Let's look at the case of 100G.
|
Optical communication standard |
Genuine product (example) |
third party optics Finisar example |
distance |
connector/multiplexing method |
FEC |
|
100G SR4 |
○ |
○ |
100m |
MPO |
can be |
|
100G SWDM4 |
× |
○ |
100m |
LC/SWDM |
can be |
|
100G CWDM4 |
○ |
○ |
2km |
LC/CWDM |
can be |
|
100G CWDM4-Lite |
× |
○ |
500m |
LC/CWDM |
can be |
|
100G LR4 |
○ |
○ |
10km |
LC/LAN-WDM |
none |
|
100G LR4-Lite |
× |
○ |
2km |
LC/LAN-WDM |
none |
Only "SR4, CWDM4, LR4" can be selected as genuine products.
Comparing the standard SR4 for genuine products and the standard for third-party optics SWDM4, the distance is the same at 100m, but SR4 needs to use a difficult-to-handle MPO connector and a thick and heavy ribbon cable. On the other hand, with SWDM4, it is possible to use an easy-to-handle LC connector and a two-core cable, and it is possible to achieve higher usability.
In addition, CWDM4-Lite and LR4-Lite, which are compatible with third-party optics, are the same standards as CWDM4 and LR4, but the communication distance is suppressed, making it possible to reduce not only the price of the transceiver but also the cost of the entire system. increase.
3. Must have technical knowledge and build it yourself
To operate third-party optics, you must select and install the optimal optical transceiver for your own network. This requires some knowledge of the physical layer. We will introduce the necessary technical knowledge according to the development phase.
First technical knowledge
Basic knowledge of optical communications, optical transceivers and cables
・Differences in optical communication standards
・Types and differences of optical transceivers
・Types of optical cables and connectors
Knowledge required when considering introduction
Knowledge required to confirm normal operation (link up)
・Selection to keep costs down (using some cases as examples)
・Concept of link budget
・About FEC
Knowledge required for maintenance
Knowledge to utilize tools
・Acquisition of transceiver parameters by I2C access
・Introduction of optical power meters, optical oscilloscopes, and optical spectrum analyzers
Next time, we will introduce in detail the "technical knowledge you should know first"!
The necessary basic knowledge introduced in the second half of the article will be introduced in the sequel. Please stay tuned.
Summary
This time, I would like to explain that there is an option of "third-party optics" for the introduction of optical transceivers, and that connectivity is maintained by various standards, so that third-party optics can be introduced with peace of mind. How was it?
Third-party optics can be introduced at a much lower cost than genuine products, and there are many other advantages such as a wide variety of options that allow you to choose the optimal product for your company's network environment.
実際に導入された企業様の事例は、以下よりご覧いただけます。