Why not to use Fibre Media Converts

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

Long story will fill you in soon. I need ammunition reasons not to use Fibre Media Converters but instead to use SFP's. Saying they are rubbish won't cut it at the moment

 

Could do with this pretty quick :) :)

 

Thanks

[synaesthesia]

They get *hot*. Power consumption. Extra socket required for the converter. More space. Easier to replace if they go wrong.

[plexer]

They take up a copper port.

 

Is this because there are already converters in place and you want to replace them?

 

Ben

[FN-GM]

Right, we don't own the building. The building owners have turned up and want to install some external CCTV cameras (only 20 meters from the hub room) and connect them to our expensive Cisco switches via media converters. I have said no we don't support this. But they will be asking why.

 

We have paid for expensive switches all neat and tidy etc. All fibre links are SFP's so why should they come in and wreck the place. One of the installers said fibre is more secure

 

TO be honest we have spare power and copper ports so that won't be a good excuse really.

[synaesthesia]

Heat then. You don't want extra heat output in your server room/rack. After a while you can barely touch the bloody things.

[bossman]

If power drops slightly then the fibre wavelengths will become distorted and data will become corrupted, high maintenance due to high failure rate, untidiness of cabs due to cabling requirements, SFPs on the otherhand are basically maintenance free, they either work or they don't which in 12 years of using them (Touch wood) I have never had to replace any.

 

Good luck

[plexer]

Fibre is harder to tap but in this installation saying it's more secure isn't really an argument but really it's your installation that are connecting to so if you specify that fibre connections are made using SFP convertors to fit in with the existing equipment then that's fair enough or they'll have to install and manage their own infrastructure for the CCTV?

 

Ben

[FN-GM]

but really it's your installation that are connecting to so if you specify that fibre connections are made using SFP convertors to fit in with the existing equipment then that's fair enough or they'll have to install and manage their own infrastructure for the CCTV?

 

Ben

 

My point exactly.

 

Thanks for the stuff so far folks

[SYNACK]

Lower efficiency power converters, more load on ac, space and UPS. Higher latency and chance of stuff going wrong as it converts to one media type, through more cables and connectors as opposed to strait to fibre. Unmanagable or moniterable, sfps can be monitered, rebooted etc from the switch, the converters don't generally support this. Not really more secure either, just a bit more difficult.

[GREED]

Just playing devils advocate, if they cannot tap into your existing equipment, what is the alternative? Put in a whole new fibre run and what not? Is that not quite a bit excessive

[FN-GM]

Just playing devils advocate, if they cannot tap into your existing equipment, what is the alternative? Put in a whole new fibre run and what not? Is that not quite a bit excessive

 

They can tap into existing equipment. But on our terms.

 

I have given them 2 methods to connect to the switch

 

• Copper Cat 6
  
• Connect fibre to SFP ports
  

 

 

Nothing regarding the cameras has been installed yet. Good job I caught it early.

Edited August 5, 2014 by FN-GM

[GREED]

They can tap into existing equipment. But on our terms.

 

I have given them 2 methods to connect to the switch

 

• Copper Cat 6
  
• Connect fibre to SFP ports
  

 

 

Nothing regarding the cameras has been installed yet. Good job I caught it early.

 

Then you have done your bit. They need to be accommodating. Sounds like they have only prepared for the usual situation of needing fibre convertors. Not helpful

[synaesthesia]

I imagine it's something they do because it's vendor-agnostic as opposed to many switches/SFPs. Still if they are doing quotes etc they would surely be able to get that information from you.

[FN-GM]

Still if they are doing quotes etc they would surely be able to get that information from you.

 

The issue is they are doing the work for the building owners not for the school. Its just a lack of communication from the building owners.

[GREED]

But it is your equipment...

[FN-GM]

I know.... Same old story I am afraid.

[sted]

my experience of media convertors is they die frequently I remember at one school replacing them almost weekly they just don't last and can be very funny about whats at the other end

[PotNoodleTech]

Yep the main issue I would have is that of extra space taken up in the rack, extra heat, and poor reliability. With a media converter you've got two things that can fail, the converter itself, and the power supply. In my experience, both can fail quite often, and I've got rid of all my many media converters and now use many HP SFPs. Also as an aside, it really overcomplicates your network having to keep track of which fibe patch is conneted to which media converter that's connected to which cat6 patch which is connected to what switch. So much easier just to have the fibre patch directly into the switch. Edited August 5, 2014 by PotNoodleTech

[Jamman960]

Aren't IP cam's usually connected over copper along with POE? haven't looked much but can't see the need for fiber unless they really need them over 100m away and I wouldn't have thought it'd be the norm on standard cameras. I'd be concerned about them wasting valuable SFP slots when they could use copper when most switches come with 4 at the most.