Hi John, The reasons to go with fiber over copper are (in order of precedence in my mind, anyway):
1) Length If you're over the 100m distance (or really, anywhere close to it), you'll need to use fiber 2) Interference Copper cables are subject to EMI, which optical fiber isn't. If you're running networking through, oh I dunno, crazy manufacturing spaces with all kinds of electromagnets and bizarre electrical fields, then maybe glass (or plastic, more likely) is the way to go 3) Future-proofing If you're running backbone cable, you probably want to use fiber, if only because it's nearly futureproof (just run more than you think you'll need). Last time I checked, the top throughput of single mode fiber hadn't even been determined, let alone approached. As faster transceivers are put into place, if your wiring infrastructure can stay the same, then that's a big win. If those aren't requirements in your case, then there's no reason (no technical reason, anyway) that you can't use copper. Of course, the 8th and 9th layers may have something to say about the situation. --Matt On Mon, Nov 29, 2010 at 1:01 PM, John BORIS <[email protected]> wrote: > I have a question. My office connects to our NOC via a fiber line that > connects the switch in my office to a switch in the NOC. Last Week > things went dead and so far it points to the Fiber line being dead. I am > still searching for a flashlight to test the line. That is what I was > told by our Wiring guy to use to test continuity. To get back up and > running I connected the two switches via the wall jack. Long story why > that Jack wasn't used from the beginning. Now I am back on the LAN. My > question is this. The copper connection is 100 mbps while the fiber is > 1gb. Both switches are 3COM 3300 Switches so the speed drops to 100 mbps > once it gets to the NOC. So my question is this. IS there any benefit > (other than an upgrade path) to stay with the fiber between the switches > or stay with the copper. The distance between switches is about 150 feet > as you walk the hall in a straight line, not sure how much cable is used > in the wall. > > So far the new copper connection doesn't seem that much slower but most > of my work is http and ssh with the occasional downloading/uploading of > files. To get the fiber line tested and fixed is going to cost me $$$ > while staying with the copper is the cost of a crossover cable. I am not > worried about the cost although I am ticked as I was told I need a new > switch and now it looks like it was the cable. > > John J. Boris, Sr. > JEN-A-SyS Administrator > Archdiocese of Philadelphia > "Remember! That light at the end of the tunnel > Just might be the headlight of an oncoming train!" > _______________________________________________ > Tech mailing list > [email protected] > https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech > This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators > http://lopsa.org/ > -- LITTLE GIRL: But which cookie will you eat FIRST? COOKIE MONSTER: Me think you have misconception of cookie-eating process. _______________________________________________ Tech mailing list [email protected] https://lists.lopsa.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/tech This list provided by the League of Professional System Administrators http://lopsa.org/
