N10-009 Question 98
Select 2Transceivers Protocol: Ethernet, Fibre Channel (FC)A company is expanding its data center and needs to connect two separate systems: a new 10 GbE top-of-rack switch to an aggregation switch 300 meters away, and a Fibre Channel storage switch to an FC host bus adapter in a nearby server. The network engineer wants to use the correct transceiver protocol for each link and avoid interoperability problems. Which TWO actions should the engineer take?
- A
Install an SFP+ Ethernet optic that supports 10GBASE-SR for the 300-meter switch uplink over multimode fiber
- B
Install an FC SFP transceiver between the Fibre Channel storage switch and the FC host bus adapter
- C
Use a 10GBASE-T RJ-45 copper transceiver for the 300-meter Ethernet uplink because twisted-pair supports long-distance 10 GbE runs
- D
Use the same Ethernet SFP+ optic type in both the 10 GbE switch uplink and the Fibre Channel link because SFP form factors are protocol-independent
- E
Replace the FC transceiver with a standard Ethernet SFP module and rely on auto-negotiation to match the storage link speed
Show answer and explanation
Correct answers: A, B
Explanation
This scenario tests the ability to distinguish transceiver form factor from transceiver protocol. In real deployments, engineers must verify both the physical module type and the protocol supported by the connected equipment. For the 10 GbE switch uplink, an Ethernet optic such as 10GBASE-SR is appropriate for short-to-medium distance multimode fiber runs in data centers, provided the fiber type supports the required distance. For the storage connection, a Fibre Channel transceiver must be used because FC and Ethernet are separate protocols even when they use similarly shaped pluggable modules such as SFP or SFP+. This aligns with vendor interoperability guidance and common standards-based deployment practices: IEEE 802.3 defines Ethernet optical variants such as 10GBASE-SR, while Fibre Channel implementations follow FC standards defined through INCITS and vendor compatibility matrices. A common operational mistake is assuming that any SFP/SFP+ module is interchangeable across Ethernet and FC equipment; in practice, the protocol compatibility must be confirmed along with speed, wavelength, fiber type, and distance.
- A. Correct.
Correct. For a 10 GbE link over 300 meters on multimode fiber, 10GBASE-SR is an appropriate Ethernet optical standard when the installed fiber plant supports that distance. 10GBASE-SR uses short-wavelength optics over multimode fiber and is commonly deployed for data center uplinks within buildings. This matches the Ethernet protocol requirement and the distance in the scenario.
- B. Correct.
Correct. Fibre Channel requires FC-compatible transceivers matched to the FC switch and host bus adapter. Even if the module uses the same physical form factor, such as SFP or SFP+, the transceiver must support the Fibre Channel protocol rather than Ethernet. Using an FC SFP helps ensure link initialization and proper operation on a storage network.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. 10GBASE-T runs over copper twisted-pair cabling, but standard distance limits are typically up to 100 meters, not 300 meters. This option reflects a common misunderstanding that higher-speed copper transceivers can simply be substituted for much longer backbone-style runs.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Sharing the same SFP-style form factor does not make Ethernet and Fibre Channel optics interchangeable. Form factor and protocol are different considerations. A module may physically fit but still fail because the connected equipment expects a different signaling method and protocol support.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Fibre Channel links do not use standard Ethernet optics with Ethernet auto-negotiation. FC uses its own transport and link initialization methods. Replacing an FC transceiver with an Ethernet module is a protocol mismatch and would not be a valid best-practice solution for a SAN connection.