Re: Optical fiber question

[Andy Davidson <andy () nosignal org>]

On 10 Dec 2009, at 18:28, Jared Mauch wrote:

> The advantages are always in the distance capabilities of the single  
> mode fiber.  You can reach much further on this, but the optics tend  
> to be more expensive.  If you are going a short distance (eg: 2km or  
> less) multi-mode is the way.  If you're going to go any further, or  
> want to ever go any further, take the extra cost and know you can  
> swap optics in the future to do gig, 10G and possibly more (in the  
> future) with less pain.

The cost difference is always up-front one-time as well.

LONAP hat on: even though almost all of the fibre terminating on our  
switch is coming from somewhere else in the same building, trying to  
insist on single mode makes the eventual 10GE upgrade much, much  
cheaper and faster, and means that we can concentrate on standardising  
spare stock and achieve better economies despite being a small org  
because we always order the same item (and lots of it).

Andy