News — Transceivers
The Dirty Connector Problem: MPO Inspection and Cleaning
Contamination is the leading cause of fiber link failure, and one dirty position on an MPO ferrule presents as a failing module. The inspect-clean-inspect discipline, the right tools, what never to do, and the symptom patterns that should send you to the scope instead of the spares shelf.
My Optic Won't Link: Reading DOM and Working the Optical Loss Budget
Before replacing a transceiver, read its DOM. Transmit and receive power split a dead link into three buckets in under a minute. Per-lane readings, the loss budget arithmetic, and the failures DOM is blind to.
Layer 1 Decoded: Every Physical Form Factor in a Modern Rack
A field guide to the physical layer in 2026 — SFP through OSFP-XD, plus the PCIe-domain connectors (OCuLink, SlimSAS, MCIO, CopprLink) and the proprietary shells on top of both. Lane counts, speeds, modulation, and what actually plugs into what.
Flat-Top or Finned-Top OSFP? How to Tell Which Module Your ConnectX-7 Actually Needs
The flat-top module goes in the NIC, the finned-top goes in the switch. Here's the rule, the NVIDIA and Mellanox part numbers, and the third variant almost nobody stocks.
OSFP DAC Cables: What They Are, When to Use One, and When They'll Quietly Ruin Your Week
A short, plain-English guide to OSFP direct attach copper: what it is, how far 400G and 800G passive cable really goes, flat top vs finned top, and the five deployment scenarios where it is the obvious right answer.