Arista CAB-Q-S-0.5 | 40G QSFP+ to 4x 10G SFP+ Breakout DAC Cable, 0.5m

Q: What is the primary use case for this breakout cable?
A: This cable enables a single 40G QSFP+ port to connect to four separate 10G SFP+ ports, commonly used in data centers to break out high-speed uplinks to multiple access switches or servers, maximizing port utilization and reducing cost.

Q: Is this cable compatible with non-Arista equipment?
A: Yes, this passive DAC cable follows industry-standard QSFP+ and SFP+ MSA specifications and can work with switches and routers from multiple vendors including Cisco, Juniper, and others, provided the ports support 40G QSFP+ and 10G SFP+ standards.

Q: What are the advantages of DAC cables over fibre optics?
A: Passive DAC cables offer lower cost, zero power consumption (no active components), lower latency, and simpler installation for short-distance connections up to 5 meters. They are ideal for in-rack or adjacent-rack connections in data centers.

Q: Can I use this cable for 40G to 40G connections?
A: No, this is a breakout cable specifically designed to split one 40G QSFP+ port into four 10G SFP+ ports. For 40G to 40G connections, you would need a QSFP+ to QSFP+ DAC cable instead.

Q: What is the maximum distance supported?
A: This 0.5-meter cable is designed for very short-range connections within a rack or between adjacent racks. Passive copper DAC cables are typically available in lengths up to 5 meters for copper-based interconnects.