HHPE Mellanox® P06153-B21 (MFS1S00-H003E) Active Optical Cable: This is a fixed-length, integrated active optical cable (AOC) assembly designed for high-throughput data center fabrics. It connects two QSFP56 ports operating at 200Gb/s using 4x 50G PAM4 modulation. Unlike transceivers with detachable patch cords, the fiber is permanently bonded to the optical engines within the connector shell, providing a robust, plug-and-play solution that eliminates connector contamination risks in dusty server room environments.
🔧 Technical Specifications
OEM: HPE (Licensed from NVIDIA/Mellanox)
HPE P/N: P06153-B21
NVIDIA/Mellanox Model: MFS1S00-H003E (Ref P/N: 980-9I124-00H003)
Connector Type: QSFP56 to QSFP56
Data Rate: 200Gb/s HDR (InfiniBand) / 200GbE (Ethernet - Switch Dependent)
Length: 3 Meters
Cable Diameter: ~3mm (Multimode Fiber)
🌐 Engineering Context: At 200Gb/s speeds, passive copper (DAC) cables encounter significant signal loss (insertion loss) beyond 2 meters. The P06153-B21 AOC bypasses this physical limitation by using onboard VCSEL lasers to transmit data over fiber. This results in a cable that is significantly lighter and more flexible than equivalent 200G copper cables, reducing strain on switch ports and improving airflow (static pressure) within the rack by eliminating cable congestion.
🧠 Typical Use Cases
HPC Clustering: Interconnecting HPE Apollo or ProLiant DL servers equipped with HDR100/HDR200 adapters to Top-of-Rack Quantum switches.
Storage Fabric: Low-latency connections for NVMe-over-Fabrics (NVMe-oF) storage arrays.
Rack-to-Rack Uplinks: Short-range switching uplinks between adjacent racks where copper reach is insufficient.
 
✅ Compatible With: HPE & NVIDIA Architecture.
HPE Servers: ProLiant DL380 Gen10 Plus, Apollo 2000/6500 Gen10 Plus (with HDR adapters).
Adapters: HPE InfiniBand HDR/Ethernet 200Gb 1-port/2-port QSFP56 Adapters (ConnectX-6 VPI).
Switches: HPE M-series Ethernet Switches (SN2000/SN3000) and NVIDIA Quantum (QM8700) InfiniBand Switches.
❌ NOT Compatible With: Legacy Standards.
QSFP+ (40G) Ports: This cable uses QSFP56 form factor. While physically backward compatible with QSFP cages, 40G ports cannot decode the PAM4 signaling used by this active cable.
Passive Copper Applications: This requires power from the switch port (typically < 3.5W). It cannot be used in passive-only patch panels.
 
🌡️ Thermal & Handling Guidelines
Active Cooling: As an Active Optical Cable, the connectors contain lasers and DSPs that generate heat. Ensure the host system fans are operating within normal parameters to cool the QSFP56 cage.
Bend Radius: The fiber core is glass. Maintain a minimum bend radius of 30mm. Do not fold or crease the cable like a copper wire, as this will shatter the fiber core or cause high attenuation.
Dust Caps: Keep dust caps installed whenever the cable is not plugged in. The internal lenses are sensitive to dust, which can cause link flapping or CRC errors.
 
🤝 Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS? We specialize in enterprise-grade HPE and Mellanox networking solutions. Every P06153-B21 unit is strictly validated for HDR performance and EEPROM coding in our lab. We offer expert consultation to ensure firmware compatibility, fast worldwide shipping, and a comprehensive warranty to ensure your supercomputing infrastructure runs without compromise.