[c-nsp] cisco optics for longhaul fiber

[Justin M. Streiner]

On Thu, 30 Jun 2011, Mark Kent wrote:

> On 6509 equipment, with WS-SUP720-3B, I have to drive fiber as:
>
>  1310 nm reaching 35km
> and
>  1550 nm reaching 80km

Last summer, I lit a pair of dark fiber links with gig-e line drivers that 
were loaded with optics that can drive up to 120 km at 1550nm.  The 
actual distance ended up being about 67 miles (about 110 km IIRC), with a 
2-point loss of 22 dBm (optics are rated to a minimum receive sensitivity 
of -32 dBm).  As much as I wanted to use Cisco optics that I could plug 
directly into the 6509s at each end, nothing in their portfolio would 
drive a link that far, short of going to optical transport shelves...

The line drivers and optics we purchased were from Transition Networks. 
The management of the devices is a little clunky, but other than setting 
IP addresses and pulling management/performance stats, there's not much 
you need to do from it.  Aside from the management clunkiness, the boxes 
themselves have performed flawlessly.  There is also a redundant power 
supply option for the line driver chassis.  If you're interested, I can 
dig up part numbers, etc...

The layout looks like this (pardon the ASCII art ;)  )

jms

                       6509
                       |  | <-2x GE interfaces with Cisco SX SFPs
                       |  |
                      ------ <-2x GE interfaces with Transition SX SFPs
                      driver
                      ------
                       |  | <-2x GE interfaces with Transition ZX-120 SFPs
                       |  |
                110 km of dark fiber
                       |  |
                       |  | <-2x GE interfaces with Transition ZX-120 SFPs
                      ------
                      driver
                      ------ <-2x GE interfaces with Transition SX SFPs
                       |  |
                       |  | <-2x GE interfaces with Cisco SX SFPs
                       6509