After market SFPs?

Curious what peoples thoughts are on aftermarket SFPs like Fluxlight, Integra and others, rather than branded optics the come from Cisco or Juniper for example. Do you run them in your network or do you bit the bullet and spend the $$$ on the Cisco optics in your Cisco devices? Has anyone ever had a major vendor deny support after finding 3rd party optics in a device?

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deverts

I can't speak to other vendors, but Cisco is getting sneaky. They have started coding validation algorithms into firmware (SFP and gear), and the newer gear doesn't play well with third party SFPs. I've had switches and routers show the third party SFPs as either undetected, unsupported, or even throw the interface into "errdisable" state. Even the "super secret" CLI command (https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/10791721/command-used-allow-3rd-party-transceiver-2960-switch) doesn't work for them. I've also noticed that older Cisco SFPs don't always work on new gear with newer code.

I guess the questions are: do you chance it and buy the third party SFPs to test? And if they don't work, will you have enough budget to fix it by going back and buying the Cisco branded? Will the project timeline support the testing to save a buck or 3? Or, do you just buy Cisco branded, and not look back, knowing they will work from the beginning.

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deverts

tallyrich

I used HP switches at a previous employeer - non profit where cost was a major concern. We could either buy name brand SFPs for hundreds of dollars each or non-branded for $69. For us it was a no-brainer to try them and after great success it was a no-brainer to continue to use them. Many times the big names are re-branding those products anyway. After all most of the products by the big names are manufactured under contract rather than by the big name anyway.

superfly

I've always used genuine Cisco SFP's. Other have bought generic brands. Only time I've seen issues, it's been with the generic brands. I would recommend genuine but if cost is an issue, then you'll just have to run the generic brand. Most will be fine I'd say.

donpepe

Been using third party ones. Saved a ton of money and yet to have a failed one. Its been a little over a year since i switched.

matt_rees

We've used a mixture of both and generally not had problems. There has been occasion when the port goes into an err-disabled mode when using 3rd party SFPs (with Cisco) but there is a command to enable the use of 3rd party SFPs when this happens and it bypasses the Cisco default restriction; after inputting the command we've never really had issues with them. If you are considering inputting the command please read the warning that pops up regarding Cisco warranty etc.

Check this out for more information:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/10791721/command-used-allow-3rd-party-transceiver-2960-switch

jeremymayfield

I found that cisco has a line in their IOS that allows their devices to use none Cisco configured devices like you mentioned. I don't know the command, but a Cisco Engineer on site did it for me one day on my Nexus 3K switch.