Add physical media types for transceiver interfaces

[jeremystretch]

NetBox version

v4.4.0

Feature type

New functionality

Proposed functionality

In an effort to support improved transceiver modeling, this FR proposes adding the following interface types. Each of these describes a copper or optical media type, typically provided by a pluggable transceiver (i.e. SFP).

10 Gbps Ethernet

• 10GBase-ER (SMF)
• 10GBase-LR (SMF)
• 10GBase-LRM (SMF)
• 10GBase-SR (MMF)
• 10GBase-T (copper)
• 10GBase-ZR (SMF)

25 Gbps Ethernet

• 25GBase-CR (DAC)
• 25GBase-ER (SMF)
• 25GBase-LR (SMF)
• 25GBase-SR (MMF)
• 25GBase-T (copper)

40 Gbps Ethernet

• 40GBase-CR4 (DAC)
• 40GBase-ER4 (SMF)
• 40GBase-FR4 (SMF)
• 40GBase-LR4 (SMF)
• 40GBase-SR4 (MMF)

50 Gbps Ethernet

• 50GBase-CR (DAC)
• 50GBase-ER (SMF)
• 50GBase-FR (MMF)
• 50GBase-LR (SMF)
• 50GBase-SR (MMF)

100 Gbps Ethernet

• 100GBase-CR1 (DAC)
• 100GBase-CR2 (DAC)
• 100GBase-CR4 (DAC)
• 100GBase-CR10 (DAC)
• 100GBase-DR (SMF)
• 100GBase-FR1 (SMF)
• 100GBase-ER4 (SMF)
• 100GBase-LR1 (SMF)
• 100GBase-LR4 (SMF)
• 100GBase-SR1 (MMF)
• 100GBase-SR1.2 (MMF)
• 100GBase-SR2 (MMF)
• 100GBase-SR4 (MMF)
• 100GBase-SR10 (MMF)
• 100GBase-ZR (SMF)

Use case

The introduction of these types will enable accurately modeling interfaces as child components of modules which represent pluggable transceivers.

Database changes

N/A

External dependencies

N/A

[sleepinggenius2]

Please add the following types as well:

100 Mbps Ethernet

• 100Base-FX (MMF)
• 100Base-TX (copper)

1 Gbps Ethernet

• 1000Base-BX-D (SMF) # BiDi Downstream
• 1000Base-BX-U (SMF) # BiDi Upstream
• 1000Base-CWDM (SMF)
• 1000Base-DWDM (SMF)
• 1000Base-EX (SMF)
• 1000Base-LX (MMF/SMF)
• 1000Base-LX10 (MMF/SMF) # This is the standard, but it's usually listed as LX/LH
• 1000Base-T (copper)
• 1000Base-SX (MMF)
• 1000Base-ZX (SMF)

10 Gbps Ethernet

• 10GBase-BR-D (SMF) # BiDi Downstream - This is the standard, but it's usually listed as BX-D
• 10GBase-BR-U (SMF) # BiDi Upstream - This is the standard, but it's usually listed as BX-U
• 10GBase-DWDM (SMF)
• 10GBase-SFP+Cu (DAC)

100 Gbps Ethernet

• 100GBase-CWDM4 (SMF)
• 100GBase-BR-D (SMF) # BiDi Downstream - IEEE 802.3dk Task Force proposing BR10, BR20, and BR40, so maybe this should be broken out? We already have BR40 used in production
• 100GBase-BR-U (SMF) # BiDi Upstream - IEEE 802.3dk Task Force proposing BR10, BR20, and BR40, so maybe this should be broken out? We already have BR40 used in production
• 100GBase-ZR4 (SMF) # 4-wavelength non-coherent vs 100GBase-ZR 1-wavelength coherent

400 Gbps Ethernet

• 400GBase-CR4 (DAC)
• 400GBase-FR4 (SMF)
• 400GBase-SR4 (MMF)
• OIF 400ZR (SMF) # MSA
• OpenZR+ (SMF) # MSA

[agbcix]

I definitely like the idea behind this -- I'd love to document the media interface. Yet I believe reality adds a bit more complexity. One may spend a few thoughts before implementing this.

Some questions popping up:

• How to deal with different kinds of (fixed) wavelength xWDM optics? Add a frequency/wavelength field?
• Looking at SFF-8024, the list of media interfaces is ever growing. Will all those be included?
• What about "parallel" transceivers or physical breakout transceivers? E.g. sometimes called 40GBase-PLR4 to connect to 4x 10GBase-LR. Formally they have a 10GBase-LR media interface with 4 lanes. So add a media interface lane count field?
• With 400G and up transceivers may support multiple media interfaces, selected by an application code (400GBase-LR4 or 4x 100GBase-LR1). The mapping of application codes to host/media interfaces are model specific (and may change with a transceiver firmware update). Several devices support selecting the application code. So should we include an application code field?
• If we have multiple lanes, each lane may have a different wavelength.

Besides that, I am currently missing a few entries to the list (we are using those):

• 100GBase-ER1
• 400GBase-DR4
• 400GBase-LR4
• 400GBase-ER4

[jeremystretch]

I have added all the types through 800GE which I have been able to readily verify. Please submit a new FR(s) to propose any additional types.