StackWise Virtual with 3rd party SFP

[quantkela56]

Hey! I am going to be migrating to a pair of C9500s and while looking through the documentation it states that the SVL links need to be Cisco SFPs. Is this just the normal Cisco "use our stuff" line or is it actually required? Anyone running SVL links on 3rd party SFPs?

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi,

You can try using 3rd-part SFPs since they are much cheaper, but it may work or it may not. That is the case with almost all Cisco products, not just the VSL links. If you want to use a third-party company, see the link below. Whatever optics I have tried from them have worked.

https://www.fs.com/

HTH

[Leo Laohoo]

There is nothing wrong with using 3rd party optics with Cisco equipment.  We use them all the time and we've never ran into abnormal issue(s).

Aside from price, there are some reasons why 3rd party optics is far more superior: 

1.  3rd party optics can be "re-flashed" into different logical "identity" so it will work with any Cisco platform with any software version.  For example, every Cisco Catalyst switch will always support GLC-SX-MM/MMD regardless whatever firmware the switch comes with, however, the more "exotic" the speed/wavelength of the Cisco-branded optic, may require the switch to use a different firmware version.  And some network does not have the luxury to have a network outage.  Because 3rd party optics can be re-flashed, the switch will "see" that the optic inserted is a GLC-SX-MMD when it is  SFP-10G-ZX.  

2.  3rd party optics do not have "excess baggage" whereby some Cisco-branded optics can exhibit abnormal behaviour(s) 3rd party optics do not.  For instance, some Cisco-branded optics may behave differently with different "hardware revision" numbers.

[gtrejoor]

Hi quantkela56

Answering your concern,  one of the requirements to build SVL, the SFP must be Cisco branding, third-party SFPs for SVL are not supported. 

Restrictions for Cisco StackWise Virtual

• Only Cisco Transceiver Modules are supported.

Reference Doc:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst9500/software/release/17-9/configuration_guide/ha/b_179_ha_9500_cg/configuring_cisco_stackwise_virtual.html

Regards,