On 26/Feb/20 18:19, Coy Hile wrote:
I'd expect that from the ToR -> Servers would be MMF, but that other infrastructure cabling would be SMF.
I've been designing in-data-centre cabling between routers with MM since 2007. Back then, there was a real material saving in doing that, relegating SM to backbone links and customer connections. Even then, while the savings are not as wild given it makes more sense to buy optics from 3rd party suppliers in 2020 than you could in 2007, savings are savings. Operationally, there is zero issues. As long as you don't exceed the distance limits of MM, you'll do okay.
Even using aftermarket optics, putting single-mode transceivers in every server and access port would quickly become cost-prohibitive, would it not?
The only servers we have running some part of the network infrastructure are our VMware-based CSR1000v RR's. As they are out-of-path RR's, a copper optic running Cat-6 is fine. Other servers are running basic services that don't require fibre, e.g., DNS, TACACS+, e.t.c. I imagine that if any of our servers needed to go fibre, they'd also run MM. The only part of our network where SM is the standard (and you won't find any MM) is our terrestrial and marine Transport infrastructure. Mark.