How to Cut The Costs On SFP Transceivers
By ksp | April 23, 2012
Outfitting servers with all new SFP modules can end up costing a company a couple thousand dollars, but the investment is well needed because of the reliability and efficient communication method these products provide. Most tend to call up a vendor, order the devices and plug them into the servers to interface the motherboards to the communication avenues. Rather than phoning a vendor or visiting a random reseller, you should review your buying process to see where you can save money on alternative devices other than the OEM or get used items to cut the costs.
Compatible Alternative
Owners typically want to order a replacement SFP or a new one from a brand name OEM website, which is okay, but the cost of the device tends to be a bit bigger, while a substitute can cost 50-100 dollars less. Some individuals may not feel comfortable ordering from a different manufacturer other than the OEM, but why spend more money on the same exact product?
Remember, if your goal as a business is to locate methods to minimize extra spending, it would be in your best interest to stop going directly to the OEM and start buying from a different manufacturer.
Buy Used
Some clients cringe when they hear the device is “used” and think that an old module tends to not have as much value and life as a new module, but disregard this common myth. For example, Cisco compatible GLC-T modules are known for their reliability as well as their features that help companies transmit information quickly and efficiently. With merchants offering extended warranties on these devices as well as discounted rates up to 50% off the original cost, it seems difficult for anyone to want to turn down the bargain that is offered here.
Buy a Warranty
The article’s main idea is to help you save money, purchasing a warranty seems more like an extra investment than a surefire road of helping you reduce the costs, but it’s really an insurance policy. Say you end up with the latest Cisco compatible SFP modules for your computer servers and most work hassle free, but one starts to malfunction a couple of years later because of a poor lens.
You’ve gone over your manufacturer warranty and now you have to shell out an extra 300-500 dollars for a replacement. Now, if you would have spent the additional money on a warranty, you could have been freed from the trouble of throwing away those three hundred dollars. A warranty is a “just in case”, but it’s better to have one with you than to have to shell out an extra three to four hundred dollars on replacements.
