SEESUO is proud to continue offering extensive support to our customers in Hi-speed cables for data center applications, by being the first total solution provider in all form factors covering SFP/QSFP/DSFP/SFPDD/QDD/OSFP. This includes supporting 25G-800G aggregated data-rate in both Passive and Active DAC solutions.

For Passive DAC solutions, we offer 50G-400G PAM4 passive with an extended reach of 3.0m for QDD/OSFP and 4.0m for SFP56/QSFP56/SFPDD/DSFP. 

For Active DAC, we have cable lengths of up to 10m in QSFP28 for 25G-100G, validated 8m for 50G-400G PAM4, and 10m in Q56/DSFP56/SFPDD.

Active DAC vs. Passive DAC

What’s the difference between Active DAC and Passive DAC cables? The main difference is that Active DAC contains electronics for signal conditioning, and Passive DAC does not contain electronics for signal conditioning.

Passive DAC cables are used when signal conditioning integrated into a port is provided by a switch. It costs less than Active DAC, but has a higher upfront cost.

Active DAC cables are used when signal conditioning integrated into a port is not provided by a switch. Active DAC generally costs more than Passive DAC, but the switch that comes with Active DAC costs less.

DAC Cable Features: Comparing Active vs Passive

Passive DAC Features

Active DAC Features

• Proprietary high-performance twinax technology enables industry’s longest reach for passive DAC cables

  • Up to 4.0m for 50G PAM4 (1.0m longer than standard industry practice)

  • Increased flexibility using a co-extrusion technology

• Superior signal integrity and electrical performance

  • IEEE 802.3cd compliant

  • Channel Operating Margin (COM) 1.0dB higher than standard guaranteed

  • BER<1E-5 with no FEC

  • 360-degree EMI shielding

  • Proprietary crosstalk noise mitigation technology

  • High-temperature performance stability (support stable low BER at 60+ Celsius)

  • 100% in-line production signal integrity test with data-tracking by S/N

• Enhanced reliability for worry-free field deployment

  • 500H 85°C&85%RH aging testing – 850K+ Hour MTBF

  • 1000H 85°C&85%RH aging solution available for Telecom/1.7million+ hour MTBF

  • 200 mating cycles guaranteed

• Many customization options available

  • Labeling

  • Pull-tab color

  • Cable color

  • EEPROM including multi-vendor native compatible EEPROM

  • High-performance twinax technology

  • Analog re-driver based solutions

  • Industry’s most cost/performance competitive in

    • Power consumption: <0.1W/channel and <1.0W/400G

    • Latency: latency at picoseconds

    • Plug-n-play: use as direct attached cable

    • Extended reach: up to 10m

    • High-temperature performance stability: support stable low BER at 60+ Celsius

    • Low BER (< 1E-5 with no FEC)

    • In-line 100% SI testing for mass production with both BER & VNA

    • EEPROM coding: native Arista/Cisco Nexus/Juniper/MSA EERPOM available

    • Compliance to IEEE 802.3cd

  • Enhanced reliability as passive DAC

    • 500H 85°C&85%RH aging testing – 850K+ Hour MTBF

    • 200 mating cycles guaranteed

What do Active DAC Cables and Passive DAC Cables represent respectively?

What is Active DAC Cables?

Active Direct Attach Copper (DAC) Cables are a type of high-speed cable assembly used to connect devices in data centers, such as switches, routers, and servers. They provide a solution for short-distance data transmission while offering advantages in terms of cost, power consumption, and latency when compared to optical transceivers. Here's what you need to know about Active DAC Cables:

1. Composition: Active DAC cables have a copper cable between two connectors, typically SFP+, QSFP, or other data center interface standards.

2. Active vs. Passive DAC:

   • Active DACcables contain electronic components in the connectors to improve signal quality and provide a longer reach than passive DAC cables. These components help boost or equalize the signal, allowing for slightly longer transmission distances compared to their passive counterparts.

   • Passive DACcables, on the other hand, don't have these active electronic components, making them suitable for shorter distances, typically up to 7 meters.

3. Advantages:

   • Cost-Effective: DAC cables, including Active DAC, tend to be less expensive than optical transceivers with separate optical cables.

   • Low Power Consumption: Active DACs generally consume less power than optical solutions, although they consume more power than passive DACs.

   • Low Latency: Since DAC cables use direct copper connections, they offer extremely low latency, making them ideal for applications requiring real-time data access.

4. Limitations:

   • Distance: Even with the boost from the active components, Active DAC cables are typically limited to relatively short distances, usually up to 15 meters. For longer distances, optical solutions are preferred.

   • Flexibility: Unlike modular optical solutions that allow you to replace the cable or the transceiver separately, DAC is a fixed assembly.

5. Applications: Active DAC cables are often used in data centers for high-speed interconnects between devices in the same rack or adjacent racks. They're ideal for applications like storage area networks (SAN), network-attached storage (NAS), and storage servers.

In summary, Active DAC cables are a high-performance, cost-effective solution for short-distance interconnects in data centers and similar environments. When deciding between Active DAC and other solutions, factors like distance, cost, and power consumption should be considered.
 

What is Passive DAC Cables?

Passive Direct Attach Copper (DAC) Cables are a type of high-speed cable assembly commonly used for short-distance data transmission, especially in data centers. Here's an overview of Passive DAC Cables:

1. Composition: Passive DAC cables consist of a copper cable with connectors on either end. These connectors can be SFP+, QSFP, QSFP28, or other data center interface standards, depending on the required data rate.

2. Active vs. Passive DAC:

   • Passive DAC: Passive DAC cables don't have any active electronic components in the connectors. They rely on the host equipment to drive the signal through the cable. Due to this, they are typically used for shorter distances, often up to 7 meters.

   • Active DAC: Active DAC cables, on the other hand, have electronic components in the connectors that help boost or equalize the signal, enabling slightly longer transmission distances compared to passive DAC cables.

3. Advantages:

   • Cost-Efficiency: DAC cables, including Passive DAC, tend to be less expensive than optical transceiver solutions, making them an economical choice for short-range connectivity.

   • Low Power Consumption: Passive DAC cables generally use less power than both Active DAC and optical transceivers.

   • Low Latency: With direct copper connections, Passive DAC cables offer extremely low latency.

4. Limitations:

   • Distance: Because they lack the active components found in Active DAC cables, Passive DAC cables are limited to shorter distances, typically up to 7 meters.

   • Lack of Flexibility: DAC cables are fixed assemblies, so you can't replace the cable or the transceiver separately as you can with optical solutions.

5. Applications: Passive DAC cables are popular in data centers for high-speed interconnects, especially between devices in the same rack or adjacent racks. They are suitable for applications such as top-of-rack (ToR) connections, storage area networks (SAN), and high-speed computing interconnects.

In summary, Passive DAC cables provide a cost-effective, low latency, and low-power solution for short-distance connections in data centers and similar high-performance computing environments. When choosing between Passive DAC and other interconnect solutions, it's essential to consider factors like the required distance, cost, and power consumption.