High-Density 100G Direct Attach Copper Interconnects for Next-Generation Hyper-Scale Data Centers
Explore our top-performing optoelectronic components, active transceivers, and high-density termination solutions.
In modern hyper-scale data centers, enterprise networking cores, and high-frequency trading platforms, high-speed connection stability and latency reduction are critical. The QSFP28 Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cable represents the most efficient, cost-effective, and low-latency solution for high-density 100G transmission over short distances (typically 1 to 5 meters). Utilizing passive copper twinaxial cabling, QSFP28 DAC assemblies bypass the need for power-hungry optoelectronic conversion, ensuring data transfer occurs virtually at the speed of electrical current.
QSFP28 DACs are structured with four independent transmitter and receiver channels, each capable of operating at speeds up to 25.78 Gbps. Through advanced manufacturing techniques, such as twinaxial wire alignment and precision soldering, Chinese manufacturers produce DAC cables complying with the SFF-8665 specification. This compliance ensures full multi-source agreement (MSA) cross-compatibility, matching rigorous electrical interfaces, mechanical form factors, and diagnostic telemetry parameters.
China has consolidated its position as the premier global hub for optoelectronic components, high-frequency raw cables, and structural network assemblies. The manufacturing ecosystem, centralized around industrial zones in Shenzhen and the Yangtze River Delta, delivers massive cost efficiencies without sacrificing strict tolerance limits.
Utilizing high-purity silver-plated copper conductors and specialized fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) dielectrics, Chinese factories ensure excellent return loss (RL) and insertion loss (IL) values across all AWG variations.
Using precision laser stripping and automated soldering technology guarantees consistency in the termination area. This controls crosstalk and phase matching between differential pairs to maintain data path integrity.
Every DAC assembly undergoes 100% testing. Using physical layer analyzers, network engineers verify Eye Diagrams, Bit Error Rate (BER), and multi-vendor EEPROM compatibility before final shipment clearance.
For international purchasing departments, procurement involves navigating quality and safety protocols. Chinese manufacturers like Kocent Optec Limited adhere strictly to global regulatory compliance certifications, including:
Established in 2012 in Hong Kong as a hi-tech communication enterprise, Kocent Optec Limited has grown to become one of China's leading fiber optic termination product manufacturers and solution providers. Over the last decade, we have dedicated ourselves to developing and manufacturing fiber optic communication products ranging from passive to active categories for telecommunication networks, enterprise networks, and high-density data centers.
By leveraging our extensive experience and excellent production capacity, we help our customers outperform competitors. We place great emphasis on collaboration and define ourselves as a valuable partner in high-performance connectivity.
With more than 13 years of experience in manufacturing telecommunication fiber optic products, we strictly follow industry standards. We use mature scientific methods to deliver your products on time, ensuring 100% of products are tested and inspected before shipment.
Our years of sales and service experience have enabled us to win customers across diverse regions, including East Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Northern Europe, South America, North America, North Africa, and South Africa.
Win-win cooperation is our constant goal. Many of our OEM and ODM products have won Telecom Operator tenders and satisfy strict end-user requests.
Our main terminal telecom operators include: SingTel, Vodafone, America Movil, Telefonica, Bharti Airtel, Orange, Telenor, VimpelCom, TeliaSonera, Saudi Telecom, MTN, Viettel, Bitel, VNPT, Laos Telecom, MYTEL, Telkom, Telekom, Entel, FiberTel, StarFiber, Ooredoo, Beeline, Azercell.
We offer robust custom manufacturing capabilities to match your specific hardware environments. Whether you require custom EEPROM coding for Cisco, Arista, Juniper, or Mellanox switches, or specific outer jacket options such as LSZH or Plenum, our engineering team is equipped to deliver. Each batch is built using state-of-the-art tooling and testing platforms, ensuring seamless drop-in integration.
DAC QSFP28 solutions are primarily deployed in low-distance link environments where physical layer latency and operational expenditures must be kept to a minimum. Below are the key scenarios:
In modern server cabinet layouts, switches are placed at the top of the rack cabinet, while host servers occupy the lower slots. QSFP28 DAC cables connect 100G network interface cards (NICs) to the ToR switch. The passive physical design of DACs eliminates heat generation at the link endpoints, reducing cabinet cooling costs.
Networked storage configurations require continuous, high-bandwidth connections. DACs provide the low-latency pipelines necessary for NVMe-over-Fabrics (NVMe-oF) architectures, preventing connectivity bottlenecks between storage controller systems and distribution switches.
For microsecond-sensitive transactions and deep learning model training, any signal delay can lead to desynchronization. Because copper twinaxial cables transmit signals directly without optoelectronic converters, latency is kept below 0.1 nanoseconds per meter, outperforming optical transceivers.
As bandwidth requirements expand, the industry is transitioning toward 400G (QSFP-DD/OSFP) and 800G platforms. This transition involves shifts in signal encoding:
Answers to technical and commercial questions to assist procurement managers and network engineers.
We offer complete end-to-end passive and active optoelectronic products to support your datacenter infrastructure.
KOCENT OPTEC