Some Knowldege About HP ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs

About HP ProCurve

HP ProCurve was the name of the networking division of Hewlett-Packard from 1998 to 2010 and associated with the products that it sold. The name of the division was changed to HP Networking (also called HP ProCurve Networking) in September 2010 after HP bought 3Com Corporation. As the then-ProCurve division began to offer LAN switches, Core, Datacenter, Distribution, Edge, Web managed and Unmanaged Switches. The ProCurve was also used with Network Management, Routing and Security products. HP ProCurve transceivers as the part of its networking accessories that are applied to their corresponding switches or routers. Today, we will introduce some knowledge of the HP ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs.

Products Involved In This Paper ProCurve Gigabit-SX-LC Mini-GBIC (Product No. J4858A/J4858B/J4858C)

A small form-factor pluggable 1000BASE-SX SFP fiber optic transceiver with 1LC port that provides a full-duplex Gigabit solution up to 550 m on multimode fiber.

Fiberstore Solution:

• NEW HP J4858A X121 Compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4858B X121 Compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4858C X121 Compatible 1000BASE-SX SFP 850nm 550m Transceiver Module

ProCurve Gigabit-LX-LC Mini-GBIC (Product No. J4859A/J4859B/J4859C)

An SFP format gigabit transceiver with LC connectors using LX technology.

Fiberstore Solution:

• NEW HP J4859A Compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP 1310nm 10km Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4859B Compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP 1310nm 10km Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4859C Compatible 1000BASE-LX SFP 1310nm 10km Transceiver Module

ProCurve Gigabit-LH-LC Mini-GBIC (Product No. J4860A/J4860B/J4860C)

A small form-factor pluggable (SFP) Gigabit LH transceiver that provides a full-duplex Gigabit solution up to 70 km on single-mode fiber.

Fiberstore Solution:

• NEW HP J4860A Compatible 1000BASE-ZX SFP 1550nm 80km Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4860B Compatible 1000BASE-ZX SFP 1550nm 80km Transceiver Module
• NEW HP J4860C Compatible 1000BASE-ZX SFP 1550nm 80km Transceiver Module

Knowledge You Should Know About HP ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs

For the above products, there usually are many questions about them. The following infomation will make you to know more about them.

Supported Platform According to HP ProCurve Networking Mini-GBIC Support Matrix, we can easily find out which Mini-GBICs and SFPs are supported on which ProCurve Systems. General rules are:

• Please use only genuine or high-quality 100% compatible ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs on ProCurve System.
• Newer ProCurve products require revision "B" or later Mini-GBICs and SFPs (product number ends with the letter "B" or later, for example J4858B, J4859C).

About the Version A, B, C

HP ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs have three version, but you may not find A and B anymore in HP's official website. In fact, the version A, B and C are the development of HP ProCurve Mini-GBIC and SFP. Though there is no big difference between these three version, some improvement will be added in the newest version, and the supported platforms adjustment. The "revision C" Mini-GBICs (eg. J4858C, J4859C, J4860C) are supported in all ProCurve products that support Mini-GBICs. In addition, "revision B" and "revision C" mini-GBICs can be used together in any ProCurve switch that supports mini-GBICs. Actually, as the transitional products, HP stops offering the version A and version B. But version C are not supported on some old switches, thus, some users have still used the version A or version B. Fiberstore can support the 100% compatible HP ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs at version A, B and C, such as J4858A/B/C, J4859A/B/C, J4860A/B/C.

Mini-GBICs and SFPs hot-swappable

All ProCurve Mini-GBICs and SFPs are hot-swappable (they can be installed and removed while the switch is powered on). However, the network cable should be disconnected before removing the Mini-GBIC or SFP from the switch.

Best practice tip: After inserting a transceiver into a ProCurve switch, the Mode LED will come on for two seconds while the transceiver is initialized. Do not remove the transceiver until the Mode LED has turned off. For the Switch 2600 and 2800 Series: After inserting a transceiver into a 2600 or 2800 switch, the "M" LED will come on to indicate that the mini-GBIC slot is active. Wait at least two seconds after the "M" LED comes on if you need to remove the transceiver.

About Fiberstore

Fiberstore is a professional manufacturer and supplier of optical networking solutions. We can supply 100% compatible fiber optic transceiver modules of many brands, like HP, Cisco, Dell, D-link etc. with a incredible discount. About HP, you can find a full product line of our New HP transceivers with a good price and enjoy same-day shipping. In addition, according to your requirements, we welcome any inquiry for customized fiber optical transceiver. Fiberstore's aim is offering the best quality products and perfect solutions, saving customers's time and money, making customers enjoy personalization.

Recommendation of The Best-selling Brand Compatible Transceivers

• Netgear SFPs: Netgear AGM731F, AGM731F 1000BASE SX SFP module
• Juniper SFPs: SFP-1GE-FE-E-T, EX SFP-1GE-SX and Juniper SFP 1000BASE-T
• Finisar SFPs: FCLF-8521-3, FTLF1319P1BTL and Finisar FTRJ8519P1BNL

Article Source: HP SFPs

Questions about the Transceiver Support of HP 3Com Rebadged Switches

There are always some problems needed to be solved due to rebadged. Here are two questions about the transceiver support of HP 3Com rebadged switches. Thanks to the people who gave out the answers.

Question 1: I am a little confused regarding 10-GbE SFP+ Transceiver Support on older 3Com/HP 4800G Switch Series. HP lists several X130 SFP+ Transceivers as compliant with the 3Com/HP 4800G Switch line. According to all information I found until now, SFP+ is NOT backward compatible to SFP. The original, Comware-based, 4800G Switch Series has definitely no SFP+ ports, only SFP. HP may have changed this in more recent model revision like the HP 5500 EI Switch Series. But the original 4800G Switch Series has clearly no SFP+. How can HP list therefore here these HP X130 SFP+ Transceivers as compliant to the 3Com 4800G Switch Series?

The 3Com 4800G and HP 5500-EI switchs are very similar, only difference seems to be support for PoE+ and the much more powerful power supply (up to 740W) at the HP 5500-EI. Interestingly, this (JD368B) HP 5500/5120, 2-port, 10GbE SFP+ Module is NOT listed at the HP 4800G accessories product page. It is listed only at HP 5500-EI accessories page.

BUT, if you click there on it, a window opens, and you will see that the 4800G (and others) will be yet listed! Very confusing and incomprehensible, why it is listed here as compatible but not at the HP 4800G accessories product page? It's probably listed because you can add a 10GbE SFP+ module to the back of the 4800G. I'm trying to find out who the Product Manager is to confirm. I'll also take a look at one of mine in the lab.

According to the HP Accessory list, HP 4500G Switch Series Accessories the only options available for the 4500 and 4800 switches are 10Gb XFP and LCM modules and one 1GbE SFP transceiver (such as HP transceiver JD119B, JD089B, etc.). I was in touch with the product manager this week and there is no SFP+ version available. He also told me that the 4800G and its options have been end of life for years but we still continue to support them. The page could have been written better to make the accessory list more clear.

Tips: 3Com 4800G is the same as HP A5500-EI. It's also mentioned within the release notes. Also you can try it out yourself. Type "brand h3c" on the switch and reboot. After that you'll have an H3C S5500-EI switch. If you want to stack an 3Com 4800G switch with an HP E4800G switch you have to "brand hp" the 3Com devices. That's also mentioned within the release notes. Talking about 10Gb fiber. If you want to use SFP+ optics, you have to install the SFP+ modules first. I use those for my 4800G switches. Before HP A5500EI family, there were another 2 product families, i.e 3Com 4800G and H3C S5500EI, shipped to market. All of these three product families have same hardware and software specification except brand.

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Question 2: I have two HP ProCurve JE005A V1910 switches installed in two offices. These two office are in the same building 70 meters apart, but the work enviroment has heavy Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI). So I want to use a fiber connection to link them up rather than a stand Ethernet cable. I have done some research and found that the SX module are more than sufficient. What I can not understand is what is the difference between the J4858C and JD118B HP SFP modules.

So what is the difference between J4858C and JD118B for the JE005A? The J4858C is what was the traditional ProCurve branded part, the HP JD118B the former 3Com one. Some of the switches only work with branded SFPs: generally you can use a ProCurve part in a 3Com switch but not always the other way round. Unless you are keeping a common pool of spares or similar, it doesn't matter which you use.

As HP JE005A V1910 switch is a new prodcut (as in just bought, a V1910 is one of the rebadged 3Com models), would the J4858C be the way to go for best compatability? To create a fiber link, do I need both adapters on both switches or just one each? The answer is that one (at each end) of either would be fine.

These are small problems but a lot of people are influenced. As there are much more other problems of brands rebadged among HP, 3Com and H3C etc., and considering about the expensive SFP transceivers, more and more users begin to choose generic compatible transceiver modules which can really replace the position of original ones.

Article Source: Transceiver Support for HP 3Com Rebadged Switches