Gigabit Ethernet (copper) backbone vs. Fiber

[scottdware]

Hi,

The company that I work for is in the process of building a large, new facility. I am doing some design work for the network, and was thinking, why not use Gigabit Ethernet (over copper), and save some $$, versus using Fiber for the backbone. (between switches)

Does anyone have some suggestions/experience. I would like to hear what you have to say

Thanks!

 

[franklin97355]

You will have more room for future development with fiber. Use it.

 

[jimbopalmer]

Is distance an issue at all? I am in 45 buildings over a 4 miles area, for me copper is a server solution, not a backbone solution

(Fiber I laid in 1992 for 10meg ethernet /FDDI is now doing gig just fine, can't say that for my 1992 copper)



I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[mikeydidit]

I am with Franklin and Jimbo on this one. I think the little you save now will cost you more in the long run. I too have old 62.5 mm fiber that was FDDI and now GIG and have no problems. When designing a building layout, the future has to be a major concern. That is why in my opinion, it would be best to install fiber.

Mike Jones
LSUHSC

 

[AvayaNovice]

Fiber all the way. Copper cabling has a life expectancy, fiber doesn't apply to that same formula.

Furthermore... over time, the link is easily upgradable without changing out the cable. It's limited moreso by the hardware, than the physical cable itself... whereas copper definetely has a physical maximum, at least for now.

On top of all of that... the cost for a fiber backbone vs. a copper backbone is not THAT much more... you could save a lot of money in other areas I'm sure.

If you do for whatever reason decide to install copper over fiber, be sure to put that backbone connection into innerduct, all the way from point A to B... that way if you need to change it out, it'll be no big deal.

I'd still say go with fiber... too many advantages.

 

[buitenhek]

The "old adage" was always most companies spend 2-3% of the IT system setup on cabling and then try to chinse on that amount.

Listen to the experts above and convince your company's management that fiber will pay for itself very quickly.

Regards
Peter Buitenhek
Profit Developer.com

 

[scottdware]

Great! Thank you for all of your replies. I think that i'll stick with the fiber solution

 

[Jtodd]

Jim,

Can't say that about our 10meg/fddi fiber installed in 1994. It was a plain jain 62.5, and we had to switch to single mode for about 2/3 of our buildings when we went to GIG because of distance issues. Fortunately we installed the singlemode at the same time.

So I'm not sold on the unlimited lifespan of MM fiber, but am big on installing new the best MM available AND SM regardless of what actually is going to be used. But I am a firm believer in a fiber backbone.

Having said that, I have installed copper as a backbone. When this was done, we installed a minimum of 4, but usually 6 and used the best avaiable parts. So it can be done, and would venture to say that its done regularly. But I would recommend fiber.

Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[jimbopalmer]

Justin,

We ran single mode for our remote sites even for FDDI (19,000 feet) the local loop was 62.5 and works for us as LX gig (inside buldings we only need SX)

New MM we pull is 50nm, but knock on wood, I have yet to need to repull fiber except for backhoes.


I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.

 

[Jtodd]

Jim,

What kind of lengths are you getting on the 62.5 with LX? I think we're using the SX, and we are finding that the 220m is just about a brick wall limit.

Justin T. Clausen
Physical Layer Implementation
California State University, Monterey Bay

 

[jimbopalmer]

I do not have any buildings that stress the 220m limit, but outdoors we have one run of about a km in LX over MM, which is twice what it 'should' do

I tried to remain child-like, all I acheived was childish.