Re: PMD discussion
Paul,
One of the main components of the customer responses in favor of multi-mode fiber is the installation cost, not the cost of the
fiber, connectors, or even the interfaces. Comparing the cost of installing Cat 3 to Cat 5 copper is not the same as comparing MM
to SM facilities installation. The cost in time expertise to install Cat 5 is not much greater than it takes to install Cat 3. The
tools to install Cat 5 and Cat 3 are the same. The cost of installing SM is much greater than it is for MM primarily because not
only does it take much greater expertise, it is also a totally different tool set. Most MM installations are done by adding the
connector to the end of a fiber and polishing it. SM installations are done by fusion splicing a pig-tail to the ends of the SM
fiber, and testing it. If the MM connector installation is not done right, it is cut off and only the connector and materials are
discarded. If the SM pig-tail is not done right, it is re-cut, re-spliced, and often the pig-tail is replaced. Take a survey of
the fiber installation contractors and see what the installation charges are for the different fiber types. Except in very specific
and very large riser situations, having a MM solution is a requirement for intra-building installations.
Thank you,
Roy Bynum
----- Original Message -----
From: "Kolesar, Paul F (Paul)" <pkolesar@lucent.com>
To: "'802.3ae'" <stds-802-3-hssg@ieee.org>
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 11:32 AM
Subject: RE: PMD discussion
>
> Brad,
> Your customer's view is understandable considering the present installed
> fiber situation. But don't make the mistake of fixating only on the existing
> cable, as was done by supporters of 100BASE-T4 and T2. Cabling
> infrastructure composition is dynamic and is ever advancing to more capable
> and refined products, just like equipment end points evolve. By the time the
> standard is complete new MMF will be an installed base fiber. The 802.3
> experience with 100BASE-T should be our guide. The fact that 3 copper PMDs
> existed neither retarded the market or caused unmanageable complications for
> equipment providers. And new Cat 5 UTP became the installed base in less
> than two years, going into horizontals which are much more difficult to
> upgrade than building backbones and equipment rooms.
>
> Regards,
> Paul Kolesar
>
> ----------
> From: Booth, Bradley [SMTP:bradley.booth@intel.com]
> Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 12:06 PM
> To: '802.3ae'
> Subject: RE: PMD discussion
>
>
> I agree with Bruce that the shorter the list, the better for market
> growth.
> As a system vendor, the division I work for builds adapters for the
> server
> market. One of the things that one of my largest customers will be
> looking
> for is a minimum set of adapters that will cover the broadest range
> of
> applications they will operate in. They would like one SKU. We
> should be
> able to convince them to have two (one for LAN, and one for WAN).
> We won't
> be able to convince them to carry more than two.
>
> If they come to me for a recommendation, I cannot in good conscience
> tell
> them to choose the 850nm Serial because it will limit their
> customers
> ability to use installed fiber. My customer prefers to limit the
> number of
> customer support calls, so we have to give them the broadest range
> of fiber
> use. They will ask us for a recommendation. We're left to choose
> between
> 850nm WDM and 1310nm WDM. For their target market and cost points,
> that
> would limit it to 850nm WDM.
>
> Cheers,
> Brad
>
> Brad Booth
> Intel LAN Access Division, Austin Design Center
> bradley.booth@intel.com <mailto:bradley.booth@intel.com>
> (512) 407-2135 office
> (512) 589-4438 cellular
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Bruce Tolley [mailto:btolley@cisco.com]
> Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2000 10:29 AM
> To: Edward Chang; Cornejo, Edward (Edward);
> jay.hoge@uk.jdsunph.com
> Cc: '802.3ae'; 'Jack Jewell'
> Subject: RE: PMD discussion
>
>
> Ed:
>
> Multiple options confuse the market when they
> overlap and
> the set of 5
> options contains substantial overlap.
>
> It is legitimate for informed people to disagree on
> complex
> issues and for
> us to have difficulty converging on the short list
> of PMDs.
>
> But everyone should be absolutely clear that the
> shorter the
> list is the
> better both for market growth and for ease of
> completing the
> specification.
>
> Bruce
>
>