AW: Recommended 1Gb SFP for ~115km?

[streiner at cluebyfour.org (Justin M. Streiner)]

On Wed, 4 Aug 2010, Thomas Weible wrote:

> the setup with two media-converters works but has a major drawback. If 
> you want to see the overall line (digital diagnostic) you always have to 
> take into consideration that there are actually 3 physical links 
> involved in the overall link. Looking from your routers you only see 
> the SX link (basically 2 meters via patchcord). The potential trouble 
> making long distance link is hidden - or you have to look on the 
> media-converters (if management is implemented).

I agree on the point that external media converters do have drawbacks 
(additional failure points, etc), but the drivers I used for the link I 
just lit show me details about link health, in terms of transmit/receive
power, etc, that a "show interface" would not tell me.  I considered 
Cisco's position re: using 3rd-party optics in their switches to be a 
show-stopper for a direct-plug solution.  I would have preferred to go 
that route if it was viable.

That's not to say that FlexOptix SFPs wouldn't work in the OP's case (or 
my case for that matter) - it will just take some time and experience to 
sell my management on the upside of buying optics from someone other than 
Cisco/Juniper/F5/etc :)

jms