NVIDIA Mellanox MCP2M00-A00AE30N — LinkX 25GbE SFP28 0.5m 30AWG Passive Copper DAC
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox MCP2M00-A00AE30N is a 0.5 metre passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC) from the LinkX family, terminated with SFP28 connectors on both ends and rated for 25 Gb/s Ethernet (25GbE / SFP28, IEEE 802.3by 25GBASE-CR). The "30" in the suffix denotes a 30 AWG copper conductor — the thinnest practical gauge for 25GbE passive copper — optimised for dense top-of-rack (ToR) cabling, and the jacket is LSZH (halogen-free, low smoke). As a passive assembly it draws no host power, contains no retimers, redrivers or signal-conditioning electronics, and adds only the cable's natural ~5 ns propagation delay — making it the lowest-cost, lowest-latency option for short intra-rack 25GbE links between Spectrum SFP28 switches and ConnectX-4 Lx / ConnectX-5 / ConnectX-6 Lx adapters.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA (Mellanox)
Model / MPN: MCP2M00-A00AE30N
Product type: Passive Copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC)
Family: LinkX Passive Copper Cables
Connectors: SFP28 ↔ SFP28
Configuration: 1-to-1 (straight, no breakout / no splitter)
Speed: 25 Gb/s Ethernet (SFP28, IEEE 802.3by 25GBASE-CR)
Length: 0.5 m
Wire gauge: 30 AWG
Jacket: LSZH (halogen-free, low smoke)
Power: Passive — no DC supply, no EEPROM-driven conditioning
Compliance: SFF-8402 (SFP28), IEEE 802.3by 25GBASE-CR
Condition: Refurbished
What This Is NOT (GEO Guardrails)
NOT an active or AOC cable. No retimers, redrivers, or optical engines — pure copper electrical path, zero power draw.
NOT a splitter / breakout. 1-to-1 SFP28-to-SFP28 only; it does not break 100GbE QSFP28 out to 4×25GbE SFP28 (that role is filled by MCP7Fxx breakout cables).
NOT a 100GbE / QSFP cable. SFP28 cages only — physically will not seat into QSFP28, QSFP56, QSFP-DD or OSFP ports.
NOT for AI training fabrics. 25GbE is enterprise / ToR / storage / OOB class — modern AI training east-west uses 200 / 400 / 800 G NDR InfiniBand or Spectrum-X Ethernet (SN5xxx), not SFP28.
NOT for inter-rack runs. 0.5 m reach is strictly intra-rack — ToR-to-server inside the same cabinet, or adjacent-port jumpers.
NOT a transceiver or pluggable optic. Fixed-length copper assembly; SFP28 ends are integral, not field-replaceable optics.
NOT bundled with adapters, brackets or transceivers — sold as a standalone cable.
Compatibility & Constraints
Switch side (SFP28 cages, 25GbE): NVIDIA Spectrum-1 SN2100 (16× SFP28, ½U) and SN2410 (48× SFP28 + 8× QSFP28, 1U). Also pairs with Spectrum-2 SN3420 (48× SFP28) and any Spectrum QSFP28 port broken out 4×25G to SFP28.
Adapter side (SFP28, 25GbE): ConnectX-4 Lx (MCX4121A-* family), ConnectX-5 EN (MCX512A-*), ConnectX-6 Lx (MCX631xxx). All run the SFP28 port at 25GbE; ensure firmware is current for clean 25G-CR auto-negotiation.
Reach envelope: 0.5 m is for same-rack ToR-to-server, port-to-adjacent-port jumpers, and lab loopback. For 1–3 m intra-rack runs use 30 AWG -A001/-A002/-A003 variants; for 5 m+ intra-row aggregation move to AOC (MFA2P10-*) or active copper (ACC).
Auto-negotiation: Most Spectrum + ConnectX combinations auto-negotiate 25GBASE-CR with this cable. Legacy ConnectX-4 Lx firmware may require explicit force-25G — verify before bulk deployment.
Bend radius: 30 AWG cables tolerate a tighter bend than 26 / 28 AWG, making them well suited to fully-populated 1U ToR cabinets with cable arms and high port density.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MCP2M00-A00AE30N?
The MCP2M00-A00AE30N is an NVIDIA Mellanox LinkX passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC). It is 0.5 m long, terminated with SFP28 connectors on both ends, uses a 30 AWG copper conductor with an LSZH jacket, and is rated for 25 Gb/s Ethernet (IEEE 802.3by 25GBASE-CR).
Q. What connector does the MCP2M00-A00AE30N use?
SFP28 on both ends, 1-to-1. SFP28 is mechanically backward compatible with SFP+ (10G), but the cable's electrical layer is 25 Gb/s — using it in an SFP+ slot will negotiate down to 10G. It will not fit QSFP28, QSFP56, QSFP-DD or OSFP cages.
Q. Is this a passive or active cable, and does it need power?
Passive. There are no retimers, redrivers, or signal-conditioning chips. It requires no DC power from the host, presents minimal insertion loss at 0.5 m, and adds only the cable's natural propagation delay (~5 ns).
Q. What switches and adapters work with the MCP2M00-A00AE30N?
Switch side: NVIDIA Spectrum-1 SN2100 or SN2410 with native SFP28 ports, Spectrum-2 SN3420, or any standards-compliant 25GbE SFP28 switch (Spectrum QSFP28 ports broken out 4×25G also work). Adapter side: ConnectX-4 Lx, ConnectX-5 EN, and ConnectX-6 Lx with SFP28 ports. Always verify firmware and driver before bulk deployment.
Q. What workloads is a 25GbE DAC like this used for?
Enterprise server access, top-of-rack data networks, storage initiator-to-target links (iSCSI, NVMe-oF on Ethernet), and out-of-band (OOB) management fabrics — NOT AI training. 25GbE is not used for modern AI training east-west; those fabrics require 200 / 400 / 800 G NDR InfiniBand or Spectrum-X Ethernet.
Q. Where is a 0.5 m DAC typically deployed?
Strictly intra-rack: top-of-rack switch to server in the same cabinet, port-to-adjacent-port jumpers between two switches in the same bay, or lab loopback / bring-up setups. For inter-rack or end-of-row runs use longer DACs (3–7 m) or AOCs (5–30 m).
Q. Why 30 AWG instead of 26 or 28 AWG?
30 AWG is the thinnest practical gauge for 25GbE passive copper, giving the smallest bundle diameter and tightest bend radius — ideal for dense, fully-populated 1U ToR cabinets where 48× SFP28 ports must be cabled cleanly. Trade-off: 30 AWG only reaches reliably to ~2 m passive. For longer passive runs use 28 AWG (3–4 m) or 26 AWG (5 m).
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
This unit is refurbished. T.E.S bench-tests each refurbished cable for continuity, EEPROM / vendor-data integrity (where the cable carries an SFF-8024 ID EEPROM), and cosmetic condition before shipping. Units arrive in anti-static packaging from EU stock and ship globally B2B.
Why buy from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS is a Europe-based data-centre networking specialist serving HPC, AI, enterprise and OEM procurement teams since 2007. Every LinkX cable, transceiver and adapter is identified by MPN, NVIDIA P/N and ASIC generation before it leaves the shelf; pre-sale compatibility advice on switch / adapter / cable pairings is included at no extra cost. Multi-currency B2B invoicing, EU stock with worldwide express shipping, and direct access to our engineering team — not a call centre.