Recently, i bought a couple of Intel E25GSFP28SRX retail units. The units were in its retail box, unopened, factory sealed. However, none of these modules have Intel validation label on it.
I asked my friend regarding this and he mentioned that the product might be from a different batch and every batch may not have the validation label on the Intel parts. Is that really true?
Also, two units from it were opened box and i suspect if its used. Is there any way to check the power on time of the transceivers using any particular tool or command?
Can someone experienced member verify whether the module is a legit or is a counterfeit one?
In addition, how can i verify whether the rest of the modules (apart from sealed retail units) are proper retail units or an OEM?
Is there an Intel counterfeit point of contact where they could validate this for you? Taking someone’s word over a photo may be fine however I’d think Intel would be able to do it and you would have confidence in it.
That doesn’t sound likely. If the validation marking is there to let the buyer validate the authenticity… it has to be there. Intentionally not having it there every time would undermine that goal.
No idea. I doubt they can. Intel guys just don’t have the proper info regarding the product they manufacture. I enquired some simple questions but they never been able to answer my question.
Yeah, sadly its not there. Also, i do not see any sign/marks of label removal/washed out surface or faded. So, maybe it depends on batch or something like that?
Cause, if i disregard the fact about other modules i have, why there is no validation label on the factory sealed retail unit? The box was really intact!
Is there any reason you are questioning the validity of these devices short of the Valid seal on the back? Have you tried them to see if they even work? Just curious.
This is why now I just either get everything from FS.com or from 10Gtek on Amazon vs worrying about if something is fake or not. With the prices being so cheap for them new, just not worth the headaches of wondering. I am even switching over to purely Chelsio cards for my SFP+ because of how many Intel cards “could” be fake.
@joeschmuck So, i tried to check with Intel Warranty and i checked all the serials and the serial on the box and the modules are same. In addition, all the serial showed a valid warranty on the Intel’s official website. So, does that means all the modules i have got is genuine?
Yes, cause the modules my friend gave me, they have the validation label on them. And as he didn’t have more than one, i had to source it from somewhere and now these do not have the validation label which makes me worried if its a genuine part.
The switch and the NIC has not arrived yet so cannot check it now. Is there any way to check the power on time on these transceivers? That way, i can find out if its used or not then it will be only a matter of the legitimacy.
I understand. I tried to check with Intel Warranty and i checked all the serials and the serial on the box and the modules are same. In addition, all the serial showed a valid warranty on the Intel’s official website. So, does that means all the modules i have got is genuine?
We wont ever know, fakes can be done very very well. The only way will be once it is in use, it could work 110% fine, or you may have random issues, packet drops, crashes or other issues when being used or under heavy loads.
Got the optics and i did some tests. Can someone help me to identify if everything looks normal?
Identifier : 0x03 (SFP)
Extended identifier : 0x04 (GBIC/SFP defined by 2-wire interface ID)
Connector : 0x07 (LC)
Transceiver codes : 0x10 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x60 0x40 0x04 0x00 0x02
Transceiver type : 10G Ethernet: 10G Base-SR
Transceiver type : FC: short distance (S)
Transceiver type : FC: intermediate distance (I)
Transceiver type : FC: Shortwave laser w/o OFC (SN)
Transceiver type : FC: Multimode, 50um (M5)
Transceiver type : Extended: 100G Base-SR4 or 25GBase-SR
Encoding : 0x06 (64B/66B)
BR, Nominal : 25750MBd
Rate identifier : 0x00 (unspecified)
Length (SMF,km) : 0km
Length (SMF) : 0m
Length (50um) : 0m
Length (62.5um) : 0m
Length (Copper) : 10m
Length (OM3) : 70m
Laser wavelength : 850nm
Vendor name : Intel Corp
Vendor OUI : 00:1b:21
Vendor PN : LTF8505-BC-IN
Vendor rev : 2.1
Option values : 0x08 0x1a
Option : RX_LOS implemented
Option : TX_FAULT implemented
Option : TX_DISABLE implemented
Option : Retimer or CDR implemented
BR margin, max : 0%
BR margin, min : 0%
Vendor SN : T0389N00443
Date code : 180905
Optical diagnostics support : Yes
Laser bias current : 6.100 mA
Laser output power : 0.6856 mW / -1.64 dBm
Receiver signal average optical power : 0.5895 mW / -2.30 dBm
Module temperature : 35.84 degrees C / 96.50 degrees F
Module voltage : 3.3627 V
Alarm/warning flags implemented : Yes
Laser bias current high alarm : Off
Laser bias current low alarm : Off
Laser bias current high warning : Off
Laser bias current low warning : Off
Laser output power high alarm : Off
Laser output power low alarm : Off
Laser output power high warning : Off
Laser output power low warning : Off
Module temperature high alarm : Off
Module temperature low alarm : Off
Module temperature high warning : Off
Module temperature low warning : Off
Module voltage high alarm : Off
Module voltage low alarm : Off
Module voltage high warning : Off
Module voltage low warning : Off
Laser rx power high alarm : Off
Laser rx power low alarm : Off
Laser rx power high warning : Off
Laser rx power low warning : Off
Laser bias current high alarm threshold : 15.000 mA
Laser bias current low alarm threshold : 0.000 mA
Laser bias current high warning threshold : 12.000 mA
Laser bias current low warning threshold : 0.000 mA
Laser output power high alarm threshold : 2.1878 mW / 3.40 dBm
Laser output power low alarm threshold : 0.1148 mW / -9.40 dBm
Laser output power high warning threshold : 1.7378 mW / 2.40 dBm
Laser output power low warning threshold : 0.1288 mW / -8.90 dBm
Module temperature high alarm threshold : 80.00 degrees C / 176.00 degrees F
Module temperature low alarm threshold : -15.00 degrees C / 5.00 degrees F
Module temperature high warning threshold : 75.00 degrees C / 167.00 degrees F
Module temperature low warning threshold : -10.00 degrees C / 14.00 degrees F
Module voltage high alarm threshold : 3.6000 V
Module voltage low alarm threshold : 3.0000 V
Module voltage high warning threshold : 3.5000 V
Module voltage low warning threshold : 3.1000 V
Laser rx power high alarm threshold : 2.1878 mW / 3.40 dBm
Laser rx power low alarm threshold : 0.0631 mW / -12.00 dBm
Laser rx power high warning threshold : 1.7378 mW / 2.40 dBm
Laser rx power low warning threshold : 0.0794 mW / -11.00 dBm
And here is the module info from the Mikrotik Switch:
Just for the information, the serial number matches on both, the box, the transceiver and also via ethtool. The Vendor name is Intel Corp. So, does this mean the module is all legit?
Correct, it can all be set to whatever the factory wants.
You will never be able to be 100% sure.
One way to mitigate this risk is to buy from reputable sources, but you can never completely eliminate it. How you deal with that uncertainty is up to you I guess.
