10-GbE SFP+ Transceiver Support of HP 4800G Switch Series

[lorn10]

Hi to all

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?

[Vince-Whirlwind]

Where is this listed?

I can see that if they are talking generically about 4800s & 5500s, then they would list the SFP+ module (for the 5500), but obviously it's not for the 4800.

This link doesn't mention the 4800, once you go into "Accessories" and "transceivers":

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/networking/products/switches/HP_4800G_Switch_Series/#JD092B

[VoIP-Buddy · Accepted solution]

Vince,

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.

David

[Vince-Whirlwind]

I didn't know the 4800 could take those.

[VoIP-Buddy]

Vince,

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 module. 

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.

I hope this is a little more clear for you.  I'll be happy to answer any other questions on this if you guys have any.

Regards,

David

[lorn10]

Thanks for these information. Yes, it's like David says, these SFP+ transceivers are intended for the expansion module on the back. I have suspected that…

I agree absolutely, - the product page needs to be urgently revised. Some information is highly unclear! According to the HP support page, the HP 4800G Switch Series “supports a maximum of 4 10-GbE ports”. That belongs only to the two expansion module slots at the back and NOT to the four SFP sockets at the front of the switch.

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/networking/products/switches/HP_4800G_Switch_Series/

And by the way, the 3Com 4800G model series is still “alive”. It continues to exist near identical in form of the HP 5500 EI Switch Series. They have the same firmware.

http://h17007.www1.hp.com/us/en/networking/products/switches/HP_5500_EI_Switch_Series/

Unfortunately the information regarding SFP+ support is also here very misleading. Has the HP 5500 EI Switch Series now native SFP+ support? Well, it seems also here, NO!

For me this is totally incomprehensible, why HP defines such important information not clearer. It is only a matter of time until someone experienced a nasty surprise regarding the use of SFP+ transceivers in HP 4800G / 5500 EI Switch Series. I'm just saying, these SFP+ modules are very, very expensive, - especially if you buy four of them. ;)

[MichaelM55]

3Com 4800G == HP A5500-EI == H3C S5500-EI (just with different branding)

Of course, you can input additional 10GBaseT and 10GBaseX modules:

- HP 5500 2 port 10GbE SFP+ Module (JD368B)

- HP 5500  2 port 10GBASE-T Module (JG535A)

[VoIP-Buddy]

Michael,

My understanding from Product Management is that the 4800G doesn NOT support the SFP+ module.  If you know otherwise, what module and what software version make that happen?

I also do not believe that the 4800G is the same as the 5500 models you mentioned.  I can check on that though.

David

[MichaelM55]

• Well 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*. But you do not have to read the release notes, just look at the file names: https://h10145.www1.hp.com/downloads/SoftwareReleases.aspx?ProductNumber=JD009A
• 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. The product matrix is as following. In brief, the HP A5500EI will be the representation to all of them in subsequent document."

*"A5500EI-CMW520-R2220P02 New Features: 1. Add 10G-BASE-T module"

[lorn10]

Thanks MichaelM55 for this detailed answer!

Yes, 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?

Here follows the compatibility list, it seems that the HP JD368B module will also work with very old 3Com 4200G and 4500G switches. Just awesome. :)

HP 5500/5120 2-port 10GbE SFP+ Module (JD368B), 2 SFP+ 10-GbE ports

Compatible products

HP 5500 HI Switch Series
HP 5830 Switch Series
HP 5120 EI Switch Series
HP 5500 EI Switch Series
HP 5500 SI Switch Series
HP 4800G Switch Series
HP 4500G Switch Series
HP 4210G Switch Series
HP 4510G Switch Series