2021 OCP Global Summit: Today’s Highest-speed Options in Cabled Interconnects
High speed cables are critical components in data center applications. They connect switch to switch ports, or connect switch ports to server nodes. Three types of high speed cables co-exist currently: Direct Attach Cable (DAC), Active Copper Cable (ACC) and Active Optical Cable (AOC). DAC is purely passive. This study provides the detailed comparison of QSFP, QSFPDD and OSFP form factors for system engineers to apply them in current and future designs.
This presentation will compare DAC, ACC and AOC in multiple dimensions. First, design details will be introduced. The achievable reach distance for each cable type will be discussed. The current industry product power consumptions, thermal solutions, and reliability data will be shared as well. Finally, the relative costs of DAC, ACC and AOC will be estimated.