Arista CAB-D-4Q-400G-3M | 400G QSFP-DD to 4x 100G QSFP56 Breakout DAC Cable, 3m

Q: What is the primary use case for this breakout cable?
A: This cable is designed for data centre spine-leaf architectures where a single 400G QSFP-DD switch port needs to connect to four separate devices with 100G QSFP56 ports, enabling efficient scaling and legacy infrastructure integration.

Q: Can this cable be used with non-Arista equipment?
A: While coded for Arista switches, this cable follows industry-standard MSA specifications and may work with other vendors' equipment. Always verify compatibility with your specific switch models before deployment.

Q: What is the difference between passive and active DAC cables?
A: Passive DAC cables like this one use no active electronics and consume no power, making them cost-effective and energy-efficient for short distances up to 3m. Active cables support longer distances but require power and cost more.

Q: Is this cable suitable for 200G breakout configurations?
A: No, this specific cable model (CAB-D-4Q-400G) is designed for 400G to 4x100G breakout using PAM-4 signalling. For 200G breakouts, you would need the CAB-D-2Q-200G or CAB-D-4Q-200G series cables.

Q: Does this cable require any special licensing or software configuration?
A: No special licensing is required. The cable is plug-and-play once the switch port is configured for 400G breakout mode in the operating system. Consult your switch documentation for the specific breakout configuration commands.