DAC high-speed cables are commonly used in data centers to connect servers, switches, and storage devices. These cables are typically used for short-distance, high-speed data transfer between devices that require a high level of reliability and low latency. DAC high-speed cables are designed to support high-speed data transfer rates of up to 400 Gigabits per second (Gbps) and beyond. They use copper-based wiring to transmit electrical signals between devices, which allows for low power consumption and a simple, cost-effective design.

The advantages of DAC high-speed cables

DAC (Direct-Attach Copper) high-speed cables have several advantages, including:

1. Faster data transfer speeds: DAC cables can transmit data at high speeds, making them ideal for use in data centers and high-performance computing environments. They can achieve speeds of up to 400 Gbps and have a low latency, which is critical in many applications that require real-time data transfer.
2. Low power consumption: DAC cables consume less power than optical cables, making them more energy-efficient. This is an important consideration in data center environments where energy costs are a major expense.
3. Cost-effective: DAC cables are typically less expensive than optical cables, especially for shorter distances. This makes them a cost-effective option for connecting servers and other networking equipment within a data center.
4. Easy to install and use: DAC cables are plug-and-play, which means they can be easily installed and used without any special tools or training. They also have a lower risk of failure compared to optical cables, which can be more fragile and require more careful handling.
5. Reliable: DAC cables have a high level of signal integrity, which means that they are less susceptible to signal degradation and noise. This makes them a reliable choice for high-speed data transfer applications.

DAC high-speed cable structure

The DAC high-speed cable is composed of a cable and two optical connectors.

The cable uses silver-plated copper conductor, insulated by physical foamed HDPE, each pair shielding + total shielding, with high mechanical strength and insulation adhesion, and excellent signal return loss and little delay and anti-interference. The cable structure is mainly divided into four layers:

• The first layer, each twisted pair wires, is mainly to combine the two HDPE insulated wires and one drain wire, and the outside is wrapped with an aluminum foil layer;
• The second layer, 4 first layers wrapped with an aluminum foil later;
• The third layer, is the layer of AL-Mg braid wrap the second layer, which is used to enhance the shielding effect of the wire and obtain better performance;
• The fourth layer, the outer jacket is made of PVC.

In addition, DAC high-speed cables are divided into active DAC high-speed cables and passive DAC high-speed cables. The difference between these two is that the active DAC high-speed cables have an additional driver chip. At the same time, passive optical cables do not require power skills to show their Characteristics, and active optical cables require external power to display the characteristics. In general, when the transmission distance exceeds 5 meters, in order to reduce the signal interference problem, it is most appropriate to select an active DAC high-speed cable.

Application of DAC high-speed cable in data center

DAC high-speed cables can be divided into 10G SFP+ DAC high-speed cables, 25G SFP28 DAC high-speed cables, 40G QSFP+ DAC high-speed cables, and 100G QSFP28 DAC high-speed cables according to the transmission rate. They are mainly used for short-distance direct connection in data centers . At the same time, in order to meet the needs of users’ network upgrades, DAC high-speed cables, 40G QSFP+ DAC high-speed cables and 100G QSFP28 DAC high-speed cables are equipped with branch cable packages, which can be used for 40G-4*10G, 100G-4*25G In the network upgrade.

10G SFP+ DAC high-speed cables

10G SFP+ DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cables are high-speed cables that are designed for use with 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) networks. These cables connect directly into SFP+ ports on network switches, routers, and servers, providing a cost-effective alternative to fiber optic cables for short distance connections.

25G SFP28 DAC high-speed cables

A 25G SFP28 DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cable is a high-speed copper cable designed for short-range data transmission in network and data center applications. It uses SFP28 connectors on both ends and is capable of transmitting data at a speed of 25 Gbps.

40G QSFP+ DAC high-speed cables

40G QSFP+ DAC (Direct Attach Copper) high-speed cables are used to connect networking equipment, such as switches and routers, over short distances. These cables use copper wires to transmit data, which allows for faster speeds and lower latency compared to optical fiber cables.

100G QSFP28 DAC high-speed cables

100G QSFP28 DAC (Direct Attach Cable) is a high-speed cable used for data center interconnect applications. It is designed to provide a cost-effective and power-efficient alternative to traditional optical transceivers and fiber optic cables.

The 100G QSFP28 DAC cable supports data rates of up to 100Gbps and is compatible with a wide range of networking equipment such as switches, routers, and servers. It features QSFP28 connectors on both ends of the cable, which allows for easy and reliable connectivity.

200G QSFP56 DAC high-speed cables

200G QSFP56 DAC (Direct Attach Cable) high-speed cables are cables used for high-speed data transmission between networking equipment, such as switches, routers, and servers. These cables use the QSFP56 connector, which supports data rates up to 200 Gbps (Gigabits per second) over copper cabling.200G QSFP56 DAC high-speed cables are an excellent choice for high-speed, short-reach data transmission applications, such as data center interconnects and high-performance computing environments.

400G QSFP-DD DAC high-speed cables

400G QSFP-DD DAC (Direct Attach Copper) high-speed cables are designed to provide high-speed connectivity between networking equipment, such as switches, routers, and servers. These cables use copper conductors to transmit data at speeds of up to 400Gbps, making them ideal for data center applications that require high bandwidth and low latency.

DAC high-speed cable connecting solution in racks

DAC high-speed cables are generally used for short-distance direct connection between data center racks, with a length of 1 to 7 meters, the Max length is up to 12 meters. If the distances within 12-30 meters, you can choose AOC active optical cable, and if for long distances above 30 meters, you can choose optical module + fiber optic patch cords combination.

Summary

DAC cables are widely used in modern data centers to provide high-speed connectivity between network devices and improve the efficiency of data transmission. If your cabling scenario belongs to short-distance transmission, from the cost thinking, DAC high-speed cable is better than AOC cable.

 

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