Versatile diagnostics monitoring for optics

Starting with Cisco NX-OS Release 10.6(1)F, you can use versatile diagnostics monitoring (VDM) to monitor pluggable optical modules on the Cisco N9364E-SG2-Q switches.

Cisco NX-OS Release 10.6(1)F introduces support for VDM features on capable optic modules. However, functionality depends on the module's vendor and its specific firmware version.

  • This feature extends standard performance and diagnostics monitoring capabilities beyond traditional Digital Optical Monitoring (DOM).

  • VDM provides access to advanced data parameters, such as signal-to-noise ratio, pre-FEC bit error rates, and laser aging.

  • You can perform more effective proactive maintenance, troubleshoot complex issues, and assess long-term optical module viability.

Use VDM to gain deeper insight into the health and performance of an optical link. By tracking advanced parameters, you can identify potential issues before they escalate and improve proactive maintenance

Key Parameters (VDM Observables)

You can monitor a set of observable types with VDM, depending on the module. The table lists key parameters, their data types, and their units

Table 1. Key parameters (VDM Observables)

Observable Type

Instance Type

Unit
Laser Age (Data Path): Percentage from Beginning of Life (BOL) to End of Life (EOL). A larger number means it is closer to its EOL.

Basic

%
TEC Current (Module): The amount of current flowing to the Thermo-Electric Cooler (TEC) of a cooled laser

Basic

%
Laser Frequency Error (Media Lane): The difference between the target center frequency and the actual current center frequency

Basic

MHz
Laser Temperature (Media Lane): The temperature difference between the target laser temperature and the actual current temperature for a cooled laser.

Basic

°C
eSNR Media Input (Media Lane): Electrical Signal-to-Noise Ratio on an ingress optical lane.

Basic

dB
eSNR Host Input (Lane)

Basic

dB
PAM4 Level Transition Parameter Media Input (Media Lane): Measures electrical level slicer noise

Basic

dB
PAM4 Level Transition Parameter Host Input (Lane)

Basic

dB
Pre-FEC BER Minimum Media Input (Data Path): The minimum Pre-Forward Error Correction Bit Error Ratio observed

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Minimum Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Maximum Media Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Maximum Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Average Media Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Average Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
Pre-FEC BER Current Value Media Input (Data Path)

Basic

—
Pre-FEC BER Current Value Host Input (Data Path)

Basic

—
FERC Minimum Media Input (Data Path): Frame Error Count, the number of uncorrectable FEC frames.

Statistic

—
FERC Minimum Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
FERC Maximum Media Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
FERC Maximum Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
FERC Average Media Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
FERC Average Host Input (Data Path)

Statistic

—
FERC Current Value Media Input (Data Path)

Basic

—
FERC Current Value Host Input (Data Path)

Basic

—

Note

The exact format and the specific VDM parameters displayed may vary depending on the module type and system software version

View the VDM information for a transceiver

To view the VDM information for a supported transceiver, use the show interface ethernet interface_id transceiver vdm command for viewing transceiver diagnostics. The command output includes VDM parameters
switch# show interface ethernet 1/4/1 transceiver vdm
Ethernet1/4/1
    transceiver is present
    type is OSFP-8x100G-DR
    name is FINISAR CORP.
    part number is FTCE4517E1PCM
    revision is A0
    serial number is XCNCGZ2
    nominal bitrate is 425000 MBit/sec per channel
    cisco id is 25
    cisco extended id number is 0
    firmware version is 3.5
    Link length SMF is 0.5 km
    Nominal transmitter wavelength is 1311.00 nm
    Wavelength tolerance is 6.500 nm
    host lane count is 4
    media lane count is 4
    max module temperature is 70 deg C
    min module temperature is 0 deg C
    min operational voltage is 3.14 V
    vendor OUI is 0x009065
    date code is 241226
    power class is 8 (>14 W maximum)
    max power is 16.00 W
    near-end lanes used none
    far-end lane code for 8 lanes Undefined
    media interface is 1310 nm EML
    Advertising code is Optical Interfaces: SMF
    media interface advertising code is 400GBASE-DR4 (Cl 124)
Lane Number:1 Network Lane
  Current temperature                    :   28.75 C
  Temperature high alarm                 :  Off
  Temperature low alarm                  :  Off
  Temperature high warning               :  Off
  Temperature low warning                :  Off
  Temperature high alarm threshold       :   75.00 C
  Temperature low alarm threshold        :   -5.00 C
  Temperature high warning threshold     :   72.00 C
  Temperature low warning threshold      :   -2.00 C
  Current voltage                  :    3.34 V
  Voltage high alarm               :  Off
  Voltage low alarm                :  Off
  Voltage high warning             :  Off
  Voltage low warning              :  Off
  Voltage high alarm threshold         :    3.63 V
  Voltage low alarm threshold           :    2.97 V
  Voltage high warning threshold       :    3.46 V
  Voltage low warning threshold        :    3.13 V
  Current current                      :  N/A  
  Current high alarm                   :  Off
  Current low alarm                    :  Off
  Current high warning                 :  Off
  Current low warning              :  Off
  Current high alarm threshold         :  125.00 mA
  Current low alarm threshold          :   25.00 mA
  Current high warning threshold       :  120.00 mA
  Current low warning threshold        :   30.00 mA
  Current Tx Power                     :  N/A  
  Tx power high alarm                  :  Off
  Tx power low alarm                   :  Off
  Tx power high warning          :  Off
  Tx power low warning           :  Off
  Tx power high alarm threshold    :    7.39 dBm
  Tx power low alarm threshold     :   -3.30 dBm
  Tx power high warning threshold  :    5.39 dBm
  Tx power low warning threshold   :   -1.30 dBm
  Current Rx power                 :    0.66 dBm
  Rx power high alarm              :  Off
  Rx power low alarm               :  Off
  Rx power high warning            :  Off
  Rx power low warning             :  Off
  Rx power high alarm threshold    :    6.19 dBm
  Rx power low alarm threshold      :  -11.24 dBm
  Rx power high warnings threshold :    4.19 dBm
  Rx power low warnings threshold  :   -9.20 dBm
  Transmit Fault Count                     :  0
  Laser age                               :    0.00
  TEC current                             :  9637.00
  Laser frequency error                :  not valid
  Laser temperature                       :   10.00
  eSNR media input                        :    0.00
  eSNR host input                         :  6110.00
  PAM4 level transition parameter media input:    0.00
  PAM4 level transition parameter host input:  65535.00
  Pre-FEC BER minimum media input         :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER minimum host input          :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER maximum media input         :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER maximum host input          :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER average media input         :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER average host input          :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER current media input         :    0.00
  Pre-FEC BER current host input          :    0.00
  FERC minimum media input                :    0.00
  FERC minimum host input                 :    0.00
  FERC maximum media input                :    0.00
  FERC maximum host input                 :    0.00
  FERC average media input                :    0.00
  FERC average host input                 :    0.00
  FERC current value media input          :    0.00
  FERC current value host input           :    0.00

VDM DME sensors

VDM is available on DME. For more information see, Cisco Nexus NX-API References.