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Brocade/Foundry switches accept third-party optics but may lose optical monitoring

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An operator asked about the practical behaviour of Brocade equipment with third-party SFP/SFP+ optics. Experience shared on NANOG: Foundry-heritage platforms (FastIron, NetIron, ICX including ICX7750) generally bring up any MSA-coded module, but the optical-monitor (DDM) function may be unavailable unless the module is coded as Brocade; newer Brocade-origin products such as converged NICs and Fibre Channel switches refuse non-Brocade optics outright, and support can be denied for optic-related issues without first-party modules.

  • Hardware: Brocade ICX7750, Brocade FastIron, Brocade NetIron, Brocade VDX, Brocade FC switches
  • Transceivers: third-party SFP+, Brocade-coded SFP+
  • Form factor: SFP, SFP+

Symptoms / messages:

optical-monitor unavailable on standard-coded optics
non-Brocade optics refused on FC switches and CNAs
brocade fastiron foundry icx netiron
edge_wolf34 GB

Comments 2

Accepted answer

Keep a few first-party optics as spares for troubleshooting; third-party vendors will recode modules as Brocade for little or no charge, which restores optical monitoring.

qsfp_admin

Compatibility either works immediately or fails right away; when it works, reliability of third-party optics is comparable to OEM parts.

laser_ops32
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