A case against vendor-locking optical modules

Mon Nov 17 19:49:11 UTC 2014

I've asked the same question and got the answer that there is a REAL BIG
chip manufacture that was having huge system issue and told the vendor that
they were going to rip out all the manufactures routing / switching
equipment if they didn't get it fixed.

after the manufacture send engineering staff on site they found that the
problem was not the routers or switches but the SFP's that the Chip
manufacture had purchased.  After replacing the SFP's they had no problems.

So if you were the router manufacture you might also put in the
locks....... Just say'n

I hate it also, but I also really like a stable network.  I also know that
there are some OEM's for even Cisco that I have used in the past.

Just my two cents.

Scott

On Mon, Nov 17, 2014 at 10:11 AM, Jérôme Nicolle <jerome at ceriz.fr> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I'm having a discussion with Arista, trying to explain to them why I
> _can't_ buy any hardware unable to run with compatible optical modules.
>
> My points are :
>
> - I need specific modules, mostly *WDM and BiDi, some still unavailable
> in their product line
>
> - I run at least two other vendors on every locations and can't stack up
> every spare optics for each of them, neither could remote-hands safely
> re-program optics to match a specific vendor when needed.
>
> - I have an established relationship with a trusted optics supplier,
> providing support, warranty and re-coding hardware for their entire
> (impressive) lineup. And this supplier is still 2-5x times cheaper than
> any vendor-labeled optics even with NFR-like discounts.
>
> Based on these points, I discourage every customers of ever using
> locked-in equipments, and forbid them on my own network. Of course,
> Arista can't be pleased because their hardware never stepped chord in my
> customer's networks. But they seem to deliberatly miss my points every
> time the subject comes up.
>
> What are other arguments against vendor lock-in ? Is there any argument
> FOR such locks (please spare me the support issues, if you can't read
> specs and SNMP, you shouldn't even try networking) ?
>
> Did you ever experience a shift in a vendor's position regarding the use
> of compatible modules ?
>
> Thanks !
>
> --
> Jérôme Nicolle
> +33 6 19 31 27 14
>