[j-nsp] Do the old M-series fixed optic SONET/SDH PICs wear out?

[Will Orton]

I have a couple P(E)-4OC3-SON-SMIR that I purchased used and successfully ran in a 
production network in the 2007-2009 timeframe. Then, about 5 years ago the OC3 
links were taken out of service and the PICs sat in their routers (an M10 and an 
M20) for 4-5 more years doing nothing.

The ports were set "disable" but the PIC was online, so I believe the optical 
transmitters were still active.

Now I'm trying to reussurect them for lab use and I cannot for the life of me get 
them to link up back-to-back. Only one port out of eight will even go "green" when 
looped to itself with a 1m patch cable. None will link port-to-port.

LOL clears and I get PLL lock, but then either LOS or LOF, AIS, BERR, etc on 
both sides.

I've tried:
-multiple patch cables (yes they're SMF)
-cleaning the cables' SC connector with tissue/alcohol
-blowing canned air into the ports on the PIC
-5 & 10db optical attenuators in case it was rx overload even though that 
shouldn't matter
-verifying tx/rx strands and swapping just in case
-every combination of clocking,enable/disable scrambling, crc16/32, etc
-JUNOS 10, 11, and 12 in both M10 and M20 with FPC-E


Unfortunately I don't have a light meter. But I'm starting to think the 
transmitters might just be toast and not pushing enough light to present a 
usable signal to the other end even with only a 1m patch.

http://www.juniper.net/techpubs/software/junos/junos85/swconfig85-network-interfaces/id-12763130.html

says:

"To extend the life of the laser, when a SONET/SDH PIC is not being actively used 
with any valid links, take the PIC offline until you are ready to establish a link 
to another device. To do this, issue the request chassis pic offline fpc-slot 
slot-number pic-slot slot-number operational mode command"

Is this a real thing? Is 10-15 years in the expected usable lifetime of a 
circa-2001 1310nm laser?


-Will Orton