SFP to SFP+, PowerConnect M8024 Switch to 3com 5500 Switch

[Parker278]

Hi All

I am trying to connect a PowerConnect M8024 to our current core infrastructure (3com 5500G switch) using a SFP+ cable.

The PowerConnect M8024 has SFP+ ports while the 3com 5500 has only standard SFP ports.

I am looking at direct cable to connect the two. Have seen some cables for sale in the U.S, although the cable is SFP+ to SFP+. Will this work?

If not are there any other solutions to my problem?

 

[SYQUEST]

Acronyms seem to cause lots of confusion these days, SFP, SFP+, XFP, wxzy... In the 3COM world SFP is fiber only, XFP is copper only. In the Dell world I guess SFP and SFP+ can be anything!

So, in your case, I believe to connect the 3Comm to the Dell you need a 3Comm XFP 10G module to connect to the Dell M8024. You will need to check your documentation as to whether your 5500 supports it, or contact 3Comm tech support for help and clarification for options. To my knowledge 10G BaseT is NOT backwards compatible with 10/100/1000 Base anything!

Hope this helps!

....JIM....

 

[Parker278]

Thank you for your reply Jim

This is very helpfull information indeed. It seems silly how acronyms apply differently across different corpartions!

I was looking at changing the module in the back of PowerConnect M8024 to a 10G Base T, but as you say i cannot find anything to say that this is compatible with the normal 1000 Base T ports on the 3com switch.

I will get on the phone to both 3com and Dell in the morning again and try and get a solution. Unfortunatly they did not seem very helpfull last time i called.

If anyone has any comments please share them!
Once again thanks for the prompt reply!

Regards

Parker

 

[SYQUEST]

You are very welcome, Parker!

I try to help where I can. In regards to the Dell M8024, I briefly read over the data sheet I downloaded from Dell's website, and I get the idea the M8024 only works with 10G stuff. So probably contacting 3Comm about a 10G device for the 5500 would be more fruitful. Sometimes you have to push 3Comm to get them to respond. They should have sales engineers available for this type of request. If not, try tech support. They should know if anybody does!

Good luck!

....JIM....