NVIDIA 980-9I46L-00H002 | 400G Breakout Cable, OSFP to 2x QSFP56, 2m, HDR

Q: What is the primary use case for this breakout cable?
A: This cable is designed to connect 400Gb/s OSFP-equipped NDR or 400GbE switches to two separate 200Gb/s QSFP56-equipped devices such as HDR switches, host channel adapters, or DPUs. It enables efficient migration and interoperability between newer 400G infrastructure and legacy 200G HDR equipment within the same rack or adjacent racks.

Q: Is this cable compatible with NVIDIA Quantum-2 switches and ConnectX adapters?
A: Yes, the cable features a finned-top OSFP connector designed for use in NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand and Spectrum-4 Ethernet switch cages, and flat-top QSFP56 connectors optimized for ConnectX-6/7 host adapters and BlueField-2/3 data processing units with riding heat sinks on the connector cage.

Q: What is the maximum transmission distance for this passive copper cable?
A: As a passive copper direct attach cable, the maximum practical length is typically 2-3 meters. This 2-meter version is ideal for intra-rack and short inter-rack connections. For longer distances, active optical cables (AOC) should be used instead.

Q: Does this cable support both InfiniBand and Ethernet protocols?
A: Yes, the cable supports both InfiniBand HDR/NDR and Ethernet 400GBASE/200GBASE applications, providing flexibility for mixed-protocol data center environments. The specific protocol support depends on the connected network interface cards and switch ports.

Q: What advantage does a passive copper cable offer over an active optical cable?
A: Passive copper DAC cables require no external power, generate less heat, and are significantly more cost-effective than active optical cables for short-reach applications. They provide reliable, low-latency connectivity for intra-rack and adjacent-rack connections up to 3 meters, making them ideal for high-density data center deployments where power and cooling efficiency matter.