I’m looking at picking up a few QSFP-40G-SR-BD modules because we have a bunch of duplex multimode fiber already installed between racks. Running MPO everywhere just isn’t in the budget or timeline right now, so the idea of pushing 40G over the existing duplex plant is tempting. Before I commit to buying, I’m trying to get a feel for how well this actually works in real deployments.
Here are the things I’ve been wondering:
Has anyone here actually used QSFP-40G-SR-BD long term and felt like it was a solid alternative to standard SR4? I’ve read that fiber polarity and launch conditions can matter more with BD optics, but I’m not sure how much tighter the requirements really are day to day.
Our duplex runs aren’t perfect, and some go through older patch panels. Does that ever cause weird errors or instability with BD optics even when everything looks within spec?
Also curious about performance do you feel like you’re sacrificing any reliability or throughput compared to normal SR4 over MPO?
We’re trying to balance cost, time, and long term supportability. If you’ve been down this road, what made you choose
QSFP-40G-SR-BD over other options, and did it live up to expectations? Any unexpected hurdles or small tweaks you had to make to keep things stable? Would love to hear from folks who’ve actually ordered and deployed this in real networks.
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