Network musings - Optical power monitoring

For a change here are some musing about the rather exciting things called SFP+ transceivers. Ok, they're not that exciting but they power the internet and almost certainly appear on most networks with more than 1 switch and any kind of bandwidth usage.  They're overlooked by many however they hold one of the many keys to network reliability, availability and performance.

One of the newer features of SFPs is DDM/DOM (written about everywhere) however this gives a really good insight into how close to failure your network is yet the majority of people probably do not monitor things like TX and RX powers of optics as a link light clearly proves everything is working well.  Obviously they don't need polling every 15 seconds and probably not every 15 minutes but graphing an hourly RX power over a long period of time will tell you whether your fibre is dirty, has been kinked, trapped or become slightly loose. While the OIDs for doing this via SNMP are widely published for many manufacturers it took me a while to find HP/Aruba ones. Here are the Aruba/HP Procurve ones:

.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.14.<intno> # TX power
.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.<intno> # RX power

While this tells you little without knowing the optics in question harvesting the data will tell you when you will have a problem if things get worse.  Also if you have several connections on the same fibre route harvesting the values via SNMP scanner can tell you instantly if one of them is problematic.  Using your favourite SNMP scanner such information can be collected quickly.  I use braa as it's free and works fairly well from the command line.  Below is the output from a quick scan of 36 switches:

./braa public@172.16.0.0-172.16.0.255:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51

172.16.0.129:0ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4365
172.16.0.130:0ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4463
172.16.0.131:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-3758
172.16.0.132:3ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4732
172.16.0.133:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5094
172.16.0.134:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-3775
172.16.0.135:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5075
172.16.0.136:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4680
172.16.0.137:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4013
172.16.0.138:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5579
172.16.0.139:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4837
172.16.0.140:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4461
172.16.0.141:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5340
172.16.0.142:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5034
172.16.0.143:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5034
172.16.0.144:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4653
172.16.0.145:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5128
172.16.0.146:2ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4989
172.16.0.147:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5710
172.16.0.148:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4873

172.16.0.67:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6111
172.16.0.68:0ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4177
172.16.0.69:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4803
172.16.0.70:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6307
172.16.0.71:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6270
172.16.0.72:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6104
172.16.0.73:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4784
172.16.0.74:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4231
172.16.0.75:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6401
172.16.0.76:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5201
172.16.0.77:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-6819
172.16.0.78:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4463
172.16.0.79:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-5494
172.16.0.80:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4584
172.16.0.81:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-4497
172.16.0.82:1ms:.1.3.6.1.4.1.11.2.14.11.5.1.82.1.1.1.1.15.51:-8262

The last 16 have an additional patch in the middle so should be slightly worse than the first 20 however the last value stands out as a full 4dBm worse than the best on exactly the same fibre route. This needs some investigation as it is so much worse than the next worst value (although with a minimum RX of -14000 it is not a service problem... yet).

Luckily the old days of cletops fibre cleaners are gone and the cheaper, faster one-click cleaners have made cleaning the entire fibre path and optics possible without too much hassle.  I've no doubt with a bit of cleaning this value will rise into line with the others.

While getting all excited about optics I should probably mention the economic benefits of bi-directional optics in the LAN. Supposing full price is paid for moderately high end 3rd party 10GE 10km SFP+ conventional pairs of optics will cost c£150 whereas Bi-di pairs come in at c£300 however the fibre demand is halved.  Does your bulk fibre installation on long runs cost less than £150 per core particularly when things like rack space are factored in?  Going low end on optics swings it further into bi-di territory with list prices being <£60 per pair for conventional and <£100 for bi-di. 

North Western Australia

I have just returned from North Western Australia on a wader ringing expedition.  You can read all about it on Josie Hewitt's blog which has lots of nice photos and information about the trip.  For some more random thoughts and fewer photos please read on.  To start with I would like to thank all those on the 2016 expedition to Broome and 80 Mile Beach for making it such an enjoyable, unforgettable experience. Additionally thanks to Broome Bird Observatory and everyone at the Anna Plains Station for providing excellent places to stay for the 3 weeks. Last but not least the traditional owners and their rangers need a special thanks for their help and an insight into the culture of traditional Australia.

Broome and 80 Mile Beach are two places I have wanted to go to for several years as they are some of the most important wintering sites for Arctic breeding waders in the world.  I have been there now and I wish I had not put it off for so many years.  The density of birds over such a distance is hard to comprehend and this year's numbers were boosted by Oriental pratincoles that could not cope with the conditions on the plains so came to cool off on the beach.  These huge numbers, although hard to comprehend now, are going through a phase of rapid decline with the little sign of it slowing.

First of all 80 Mile Beach, or at least the part we were at, is pretty remote.  Access is from Broome, a couple of hours drive, over a small cattle station, through some sand dunes and onto the beach.  Although the number of visitors is hard to come by I believe it is a similar order of magnitude to that of the South Pole and Everest base camp and probably fewer.

In the first few days the huge amount of space and lack of human influence on the beach was the most noticeable.  The amount of litter was minimal and the only sign of activity were the posts marking the kilometres and turtle nests. Moving back to Broome human influence was easier to spot however still rare compared to some of the UK's beaches.

The aim of the expedition is to find out what is going on with populations of migratory shorebirds using North West Australia (NWA) as tropical wintering grounds.  This is done by mark recapture, colour ring sightings, a measure of juvenile recruitment from catches and other methods. 2016 added to the long term data set rather successfully.  Results from a single expedition on a long term study site are generally of little immediate consequence however the results from many expeditions over the long term are what really matters.  A fuller report will appear from the organisers soon.

Anyway, enough of the travel-log as they are not my cup of tea.

Earlier I mentioned the rapid decline in some species using NWA.  One of the most notable is Bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica menzbieri).  In the last 10 years they have declined by 80% or roughly 15% per year.  The cause of the rapid decline is simple - land use change in the Yellow sea removing vital fuelling spots on their migration route.  Perhaps the defining image of the troubles on flyway can been seen here.  There are other probable factors such as rapid warming of the Arctic and hunting pressures at some stop over sites however habitat loss at key stop over sites is the one that matters right now. Similar declines have been seen in other species such as Red Knot at 8% per year (Calidris canutus piersmai, C. c. rogersi), Curlew sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) at 15% per year and many others.

The question is how do we stop the land claims to stop the decline?  After all it is driven by the industrialisation of South East Asia and Yellow sea areas causing an increased need for land near major ports and factories. Much of the land is being claimed as fertile farm land to feed the rapidly growing populations in the industrial coastal regions.  This population growth is being driven by the demand of the developed world for cheap goods.  These goods could all be manufactured in Europe and/or America however the labour costs are higher due to much higher welfare standards for workers and the much tighter environmental regulations we have.  One large step forward we could take is to stop outsourcing manufacture to places that do not meet our welfare and environmental standards. The downside of this would be a significant increase in cost however we are probably not willing to pay for increased standards for workers and certainly not willing to pay to save rapidly declining species.

Given all the species listed above exist in reasonable numbers on other flyways conservation efforts are, perhaps, harder to justify than they could be on other species.  Why try and conserve Bar-tailed godwit, Great knot, Red knot or Curlew sandpiper when they exist on other flyways?  How about putting the conservation money into Pink pigeons or Kakapo or saving a European species?  Luckily for the flyway has a poster child in the shape of the Spoon-billed sandpiper (Calidris pygmaea) which is unique in the wader world for having a crazily shaped bill, only occurs on the East Asia/Australasia flyway and numbers a few hundred individuals. While the issues surrounding the Spoonie are slightly different, habitat loss at key stop over sites is still a big problem. Raising the awareness of the imminent threat of extinction for the Spoonie can only be a good thing for other species in critical danger on this flyway in severe trouble.

Other steps we need to take is to raise awareness globally of the crisis in the Yellow sea, mobilise the masses of conservationists and environmentalists to spread the word.  We need more people from around the world to see the crisis unfolding first hand whether it be in China, Korea, Australia or in the Arctic.  And most importantly take more steps, strides and leaps to stop the land claims that are happening at such alarming rates.

So my plea is not to blame China, South Korea, Taiwan or Vietnam for these declines in species as that will do nothing to protect their rapidly disappearing habitat but to start putting pressure on suppliers of goods to ensure they are produced to the environmental and human welfare standards we would expect from a factory in Europe.  This may appear impossible but if enough people start putting pressure on the multinationals that provide cheap electronics then we can make a difference.  Time is rapidly running out for many of these species as double digit annual declines are not sustainable.

Mini speakers for tape lures - a brief overview of what is available.

Over the last 5 years being able to carry music with you and then broadcast it from your tiny pocket sized speaker has become all the rage.  Luckily this has other useful benefits as this trend has made technology cheaper.  Below is a brief description of what's there:

Historic models:

XMI x-mini.  These are the original speaker at 2 Watts with just a 3.5mm input and are loud enough for general tape luring and have long enough battery life to last a morning.  As XMI were the first to push these a lot of the cost is for the name.  There are different ones on the market that are cheaper but broadly similar. X-mini now make 2.5W speakers such as the UNO.

XMI then had a cunning plan of sticking an MP3 player into the speaker and produced the X-mini happy.  These again are 2W and play every track on the SD card.  It is like going back to endless tapes without a car battery to drive them.  Over priced when you can get a cheap MP3 player for £6 from amazon.

Sonpre make some MP3 playing speakers which output 3W, the N1 and M1 which take SD and Micro SD respectively.  Like the X-mini happy they repeat endlessly what ever is on the card.  I use these over the x-mini happy as they're cheaper and marginally louder. 

Current:

The first fully integrated speaker/mp3 player with track repeat at a reasonable price was the tecknet mp3 speaker which takes an SD card and outputs 3W.  They're still available on Amazon for about £13.  The menu system is fiddly however this is the case for all cheap MP3 players.  Battery life is good enough for a mornings use.

My favourite mini speaker is the Nizhi TT-6 which takes a Micro SD card and are available from Amazon for about £20.  If you're after a handful then buy them direct from China via a company like dhgate where they are under £10 although you need to order 10 at once. Beware of import duty and, more importantly, the default menu setting is in some weird language which takes some guess work to get into English (or maybe Chinglish).  These have track repeat and 2x3W speakers.  Another bonus is they come with a velcro strap so can be easily attached to mistnet poles.

Bluetooth:

Technology has taken another step forward in mini speakers recently and the latest leap appears to be for the economy glampers who don't want to pay for a power point in their posh tent but do need to recharge their smart phone while listening to decent audio quality speakers.  This has brought out a huge array of bluetooth speakers with large battery capacities for recharging your smart phone at the same time.  Two I've tried are:

Veho Vecto 360 - this is an 8W speaker (2x4W) with a large battery that can recharge a smart phone up to 4 times on a single charge or play for 16 hours over bluetooth.  It also has a Micro SD card slot and MP3 player although rather like the Sonpre M1/N1 and X-mini Happy plays the entire content of the card rather than a track repeat.  It's also in a showerproof (IP65) housing and will output from a bluetooth MP3 player.  The RRP is massively excessive at £120 however Dabs are heavily discounting them to as low as £50.  Given the battery size (6000mAh), bluetooth etc this is actually quite a good price.

Bolse BTS-12 - This is a 12W speaker (2x6W) and has pretty good sound quality and volume without too much distortion.  It is a lot cheaper than the Vecto at £30 however the volume controls only work for Bluetooth input and not line in.  As a result it sucks if you're driving it off an mp3 player and line in with a volume far lower than a xmi mini speaker!  The best option here is to use a bluetooth MP3 player.  These aren't cheap at £90 for a stand alone unit however buying a cheap phone or tablet with bluetooth and mp3 capabilities works out much cheaper.

New blog

I occasionally post stuff to other blogs mainly about birds however there are some things that do not fit into the North Lancs Ringing Group blog.  As a result I feel it is time to have my own blog.  Don't expect weekly updates nor updates on any topic in particular.  I have no doubt occasional things will appear about birds, IT, technology in general and the up and coming one will be about a family of diseases close to me collectively known as Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

The media coverage following an interview with a consultant gastroenterologist on the BBC was widely reproduced with many outlets essentially blaming the rapid rise in Crohn's disease on over consumption of junk food.  While there is some evidence of a correlation between junk food consumption and diagnosis of Crohn's there is no proven causal link.  In the up and coming post I shall go into further detail and cover the media coverage.