10G SFP+ Cable Buying Guide

With the advantages of lower cost and easier installation, SFP+ cables are becoming more popular than 10G transceivers for short-haul connections in 10G data transmission. This article provides a buying guide for 10G SFP+ cables in terms of types, benefits, applications, and selection tips.

10G SFP+ Cables: Definition and Types

An SFP+ cable is a high-speed cable with SFP+ connector modules on both ends. It uses connectors to transmit and receive 10Gbps data through a pair of transmitters and receivers over thin twin-core or fiber optic cables. They are suitable for in-rack connections between servers and switches, providing significant cost and power savings in short-haul applications. 10G SFP+ cables are available as 10G SFP+ DAC and 10G SFP+ AOC.

10G SFP+ DAC Cables

The 10G DACs are divided into passive and active DACs, made of Twinax copper and factory-terminated modules that provide a direct electrical connection to active devices. The former can be transmitted without signal conditioning, while the latter has electronics inside the transceiver to boost the signal. 10G SFP+ DAC cables are ideal for shorter top-of-rack or rack-to-rack runs with cost-conscious budgets.

 10G SFP+ DAC Cables

10G SFP+ AOC Cables

10G AOC is a fusion of optical and electronic or active electronic components that require external power to complete the signal conversion. It uses fiber optic cables and silicon chips and provides electro-optical connections to enhance the signal and performance of the cable. 10G SFP+ AOC cables are typically used in end-of-row or mid-row data center architectures with interconnecting distances of up to 15m.

Benefits of SFP+ cables

Cost: With no expensive electronics, 10G SFP+ cables are much cheaper than 10G optical modules. And with power consumption below 0.15w, passive DACs will have a much less operating expense.

Convenience: Using 10G SFP+ cables is more flexible and less difficult in actual construction deployments. Simply plug the SFP+ cable directly into your physical device (e.g., network switch) to make the connection without any additional signal processing or conversion.

 10G SFP AOC Cable

Applications for SFP+ Cables

10G SFP+ DACs and AOCs are widely used in data centers to connect servers, storage devices, and switches. In general, these cables are particularly effective in the following two applications.

10G SFP+ DAC cables: server-to-switch connections

10G SFP+ DACs are typically used for ToR (Top of Rack) interconnects between 10G ToR switches and servers or for stacking of 10GbE switches. Since 10G SFP+ DAC typically supports 7m link lengths with low power consumption, low latency, and low cost, this option is ideal for short-distance server-to-switch connections.

10G SFP+ AOC Cable: Switch-to-Switch Connectivity

In the absence of strict link length restrictions, 10G SFP+ AOCs are typically used in multiple locations in the data center, such as ToR, EoR (end-of-row), and MoR (mid-row). Therefore, 10G SFP+ AOC cable assemblies are a high-performance and cost-effective I/O solution for 10G Ethernet and 10G Fibre Channel applications. 10G SFP+ AOC cables have a theoretical maximum transmission distance of up to 100m and are typically used for switch-to-switch connections.