SFP+ DAC—a Cost-Effective Solution for 10 Gigabit Ethernet
In today’s data center, more bandwidth is needed to support the use of server virtualization where multiple virtual machines are combined on a single physical host server. To meet the ever growing need to cost-effectively deliver more bandwidth, SFP+ direct attach cables deliver lower power, lower latency and higher density for today’s data centers and storage area networks.
Direct attach cables (DAC) are high performance integrated duplex data link for bi-directional communication. And a SFP+ direct attach cable, also known as twinax cables, uses SFP+ MSA and copper “twinaxial” cable with SFP+ connectors on both sides, provides 10 Gigabit Ethernet connectivity between devices with SFP+ interfaces. SFP+ direct attach copper cable is expected to be the optimum solution for 10G Ethernet reaches up to 10 m.
- Supports 10 Gb/s data rates with backwards compatibility to 1 Gb/s
- Supports 8x/4x/2x/1x Fibre Channel data rates for SANs and NAS
- Compliant with the latest SFF-8431 specifications
- Passive assemblies available in 1-foot increments from 2 to 23 ft (0.6 to 7 m)
- Active assemblies available in 2-foot increments from 25 to 49 ft (7.3 to 15 m)
- Connector cage designed for high-speed differential signaling
- Easy pull-to-release latching mechanism
- Extremely short lead times on all passive assemblies
- Backed by superior support and life-time warranty
SFP+ DAC offers the smallest 10 gigabit form factor and a small overall cable diameter for higher density and optimized rack space in 10 gigabit Ethernet (GbE) uplinks and 10 gigabit Fiber Channel SAN and NAS input/output connections. The use of SFP+ DAC can cost up to three times less than fiber optic solutions, while offering lower latency and consuming up to 50% less power per port than current copper twisted-pair cabling systems. Becoming increasingly popular for short distance top-of-rack (ToR) and middle-of-row (MoR) data center deployments, and expected to account for over 40% of 10 gigabit equipment ports, SFP+ DAC also provides enhanced scalability and flexibility. By connecting several servers or storage devices together in a single rack, the use of intermediate patch panels is eliminated and cabling outside of the rack is limited to the main switch connection, making it easy to move racks, deploy one rack at a time and isolate cabling changes to a single rack.
10GBase-T offers the ability to field-terminate. SFP+ DAC, in contrast, cannot be field-terminated. SFP+ uses a passive twin-ax cable assembly and connects directly into a SFP+ housing; they are specially terminated at the vendor site and must be purchased at pre-determined lengths. This adds overhead to cable management inventory, while preventing a clean, efficient cable infrastructure design.
But SFP+ DAC has significantly lower overall cost when you include switch, NIC and cable, however 10GBase-T has more flexibility and can reach longer distance. For data centers, the advantages of SFP+ with DAC are a very good match for today’s requirements and emerging trends. That’s why SFP+ DAC is being adopted rapidly as best practice for new data centers. For wiring closets, 10GBase-T will be the obvious choice once the demand for bandwidth becomes more acute and once the price and power for 10GBase-T technology comes down.
As one of the most professional optical manufacturers in China, FS.COM solutions for 10 Gigabit Ethernet include 10G SFP+ direct attach fiber cable, 10G SFP+ direct attach copper cable. Besides, we also provide high-quality 10G SFP transceivers, like EX-SFP-10GE-LR, SFP-10G-LR-X, SFP-10G-SR-X, etc. Apart from optical transceivers, copper transceivers (such as Cisco Linksys MGBT1) are also available for your choice.
