ALLPCB
Overview
Fibre Channel (FC) switches and fiber-optic switches are both fiber network devices, but they differ in several respects.
Transmission method
Fiber-optic switches typically forward data using Ethernet protocols, while FC switches use the Fibre Channel protocol for storage-focused data transport.
Typical deployment
Fiber-optic switches are commonly deployed in local area networks, data centers, and web server clusters. FC switches are primarily used in storage area networks (SANs) to connect storage devices such as disk arrays.
Suitable applications
FC switches are optimized for storage traffic and are well suited to storage and backup applications. Fiber-optic switches are better suited to general-purpose high-speed, stable, and reliable data transport.
Structure and functionality
FC switches commonly include advanced error detection and integrity-checking features and often support multiple transport paths and fabric services that improve reliability and data integrity. Fiber-optic switches focus more on packet forwarding and long-distance optical transmission.
Interface types
Fiber-optic switches typically provide Gigabit and 10-Gigabit fiber interfaces and optical ports, while FC switches use Fibre Channel interfaces.
Selection guidance
FC switches and fiber-optic switches differ in transmission method, deployment scenarios, application focus, architecture, and interface type. Select the appropriate device based on specific application requirements and operating conditions.
Can fiber be connected directly to a switch?
In most cases, you cannot connect a fiber cable directly to a switch without a compatible optical interface. Fiber transceivers or media converters are used to convert optical signals to electrical signals that switches can process. A fiber transceiver converts incoming optical signals into electrical signals for the switch and converts electrical signals from the switch back into optical signals for transmission over fiber.
Because fiber transmits data as light and most switches exchange data as electrical signals, a conversion device is required to enable communication between fiber cabling and the switch.
