A standards based 10GbE WAN is becoming less important for point to point links
All:
I am Interop talking to a number of vendors about purchasing 10GbE and GbE
equipment for our dark fiber builds in Quebec, Ottawa and Alberta.
I am coming to the sad conclusion that an interoperable 10GbE WAN for point
to point links is not necessary. Even if a standard is developed the bigger
compatibility levels are at the optical level. Few vendors seem to
appreciate loss budgets, receive sensitivity, dispersion vs attenuation
issues, use of dispersion correcting fiber, etc and that connectors alone,
if not done properly, can result in 3 db losses. Increasingly it is becoming
apparent that we need "matched" ends from a single vendor. This is what
happened on the SONET transport world and unfortunately it seems it is going
to be the rule, at least in the near term, for 10GbE native WAN for point to
point links. Because we need matched ends from a single vendor, proprietary
10GbE solutions for point to point trunks are ok for us.
But this does not obviate the need for a 10GbE WAN standard interface for
long haul 10GbE, or for 10GbE LAN on MM or copper.
Bill St. Arnaud
Senior Director Network Projects
CANARIE
bill.st.arnaud@xxxxxxxxxx
+1 613 785-0426
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-stds-802-3-hssg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:owner-stds-802-3-hssg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> jay.hoge@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: September 15, 1999 8:49 AM
> To: Bill.St.Arnaud@xxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: rabynum@xxxxxxxxxxx; HSSG
> Subject: RE: Long distance links
>
>
>
> It seems yo me that you are talking at cross purposes. The
> diagnostic/management requirements of a point-to-point data link,
> regardless of its length, are dramaticly different from those of a
> topologically more complex network (mesh, dual ring, etc.). Length, in and
> of itself, doesn't create complexity. The management complexity of a WAN
> results from the multiple data paths, each having multiple failure modes.
>
> There is an English expression, "Horses for Courses", which I think
> applies. There are numerous Enterprise Networks with the odd
> flyer location
> requiring a long point-to-point link. As you point out, there are few
> failure modes. Contrast this with the proposals making the rounds for
> transcontinental native GbE networks incorporating DWDMs, optical
> add/drops
> and cross con- nects, EDFAs, etc. While the hardware may turn out
> to be the
> same for both applications, the diagnostic/management software and
> firmware will be quite different.
>
>