Common Causes of Weak SFP Receive Signal
Question
Ann, a network technician, has just installed a fiber switch in a datacenter.
To run the fiber cabling, Ann plans the cable route over the top of the rack using the cable trays, down to the switch, coiling up any excess cable.
As Ann configures the switch, she notices several messages in the logging buffer stating the receive signal of the SFP is too weak.
Which of the following is MOST likely the cause of the errors in the logging buffer?
A.
Bend radius exceeded B.
Fiber cable mismatch C.
Fiber type mismatch D.
Bad fiber switch.
A.
Explanations
Ann, a network technician, has just installed a fiber switch in a datacenter.
To run the fiber cabling, Ann plans the cable route over the top of the rack using the cable trays, down to the switch, coiling up any excess cable.
As Ann configures the switch, she notices several messages in the logging buffer stating the receive signal of the SFP is too weak.
Which of the following is MOST likely the cause of the errors in the logging buffer?
A.
Bend radius exceeded
B.
Fiber cable mismatch
C.
Fiber type mismatch
D.
Bad fiber switch.
A.
The most likely cause of the errors in the logging buffer indicating that the receive signal of the SFP is too weak is option A: Bend radius exceeded.
Fiber optic cabling has a specific bend radius that should not be exceeded in order to maintain signal strength and prevent signal loss or distortion. Exceeding the bend radius can cause microbends, macrobends, or even breaks in the fiber strands. When a fiber optic cable is coiled up with excessive tension or bent beyond its maximum bend radius, it can cause attenuation or signal loss in the transmitted light signal, leading to a weak receive signal at the switch end.
In this scenario, Ann planned the cable route over the top of the rack using cable trays and then down to the switch, coiling up any excess cable. It is possible that during the installation, the fiber cable was bent or coiled with excessive tension, causing the bend radius to be exceeded and resulting in a weak receive signal at the switch end.
Option B, fiber cable mismatch, and option C, fiber type mismatch, are less likely to be the cause of the errors in the logging buffer. A fiber cable mismatch would result in connection issues or no connection at all, rather than a weak signal. A fiber type mismatch could also result in connection issues or signal loss, but it would not specifically result in a weak receive signal.
Option D, a bad fiber switch, is also less likely to be the cause of the errors in the logging buffer, as it is more likely that a bad switch would not function at all or would have more significant issues than just a weak receive signal.
Therefore, option A, bend radius exceeded, is the most likely cause of the errors in the logging buffer indicating a weak receive signal at the switch end.
