What is The Optimal Choice?
Third-party transceivers have been an integral part of the fiber optic transceiver market for several years now. There has been a great deal of debate around the choice of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) optical modules and third-party transceivers. Users consider quality, performance, compatibility, and warranties before they make a decision.
So, as a buyer, which one should you choose between OEM and third-party optical modules? Let’s look into it in more detail.
Difference Between OEM Optics And Third-party Transceivers.
Firstly, let’s understand what OEM optics and third-party transceivers are before we take a call on procurement. OEM optics are branded and provided by the manufacturers themselves. Third-party transceiver compatible optical modules are provided by companies that are not original manufacturers but built to the same specification.
The difference here is that OEM optics are usually priced higher, mostly because of the perceived improvement of component quality. But the truth is that OEMs themselves are not responsible for producing optical modules – they are white-labeled by their suppliers. The real reason for their higher pricing is mostly due to their brand positioning – something that isn’t beneficial to the end-user.
Does Using Third-party Transceivers Void Your Equipment Warranty?
Several users are still unclear if using third-party transceivers in their devices means voiding their warranties. Losing warranties can have serious consequences for equipment owners because it could mean no support from their OEMs. The high cost of the equipment further exacerbates this issue.
Another worry people have is if third-party transceivers have the same quality standards and performance as the parts they’re replacing. Considering that these third-party transceiver modules align to the SFP MSA (multi-source agreement), which in turn is a part of the SFF commitment, it has the same rules and standards. From a usability standpoint, there are no discernible differences between OEM optics and their third-party counterparts.
Not many people are aware that if equipment that uses MSA specification compliant third-party optical modules becomes defective, manufacturers are still required to fulfill warranty terms and claims. The only exception is that if they can prove the third-party optics was responsible for the failure, which is highly unlikely in the case of fiber optic transceivers as they cannot damage the slot on the equipment.
To illustrate this with an example, let’s take an SFP transceiver. An SFP module’s function is to convert electrical data to optical signals. Power surges through an optical port just do not happen. And since the SFP draws power directly from the equipment, a more likely scenario is that the equipment can damage the SFP.
Talking about SFP ports, all Alperio components are 100% compatible with your equipment. So it begs the question – why do network vendors have stringent warranty policies that are designed to keep third-party transceivers out?
A prime reason is their profitability and margins. But the problem here is that the customer is affected by these policies – their overall maintenance costs are higher with these harsh warranty policies in place. It also discourages customers from opting for more cost-effective third-party components under false pretexts like rejections of legitimate warranty claims and non-existent performance differences between OEM and third-party components.
Choosing Between OEM Optics And Third-party Transceivers.
Despite the numerous advantages on both sides, choosing OEM or third-party comes down to brand name vs. price point. Users also have to understand that the benefits of third-party components don’t just end with low cost.
Why Choose Alperio?
When you’re in the market for third-party transceivers, you need a reliable vendor. Alperio is your vendor of choice when it comes to your equipment demands. We are professionals and can deliver exceptional quality at competitive prices. Our inventory is comprehensive, and we are confident that we can service your requirements.
At Alperio, all our transceiver modules are exhaustively tested to ensure longevity and performance. We test on a wide range of devices from the same brand for assessing quality and compatibility issues.
Our catalog has a complete selection of transceiver modules from all major brands, including GBIC, SFP, SFP+, QSFP+, and CFP to name a few. We also provide transceivers from Cisco, Arista, Juniper, Dell, HPE, and more.