NVIDIA Mellanox® MCP1600-C003 100GbE QSFP28 Passive Copper Cable, 3m: This is a 3-meter passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC) engineered for 100Gb/s Ethernet (100GbE) point-to-point interconnectivity, also referenced as NVIDIA P/N 980-9I62X-00C003. The cable terminates in QSFP28 connectors at both ends and operates as a single 4x 25Gb/s NRZ link. This is a passive copper DAC, not an active optical cable, not an active copper cable, and not a transceiver-plus-patch-cord assembly. This is a new (unused) unit.
Engineering Context
At 3m, passive copper DACs draw no incremental host power and add no optical-to-electrical conversion latency, making them the lowest-power and lowest-cost interconnect choice for top-of-rack switch-to-server links. The MCP1600-C003 supports the 100GbE 4x25Gb/s NRZ signaling defined by IEEE 802.3bj. Forward Error Correction (RS-FEC per IEEE 802.3bj clause 91) is typically required end-to-end at 25Gb/s lane rates. Copper construction eliminates concerns about fiber end-face contamination and VCSEL bias-current drift over deployment life.
Deployment & Use Cases
Top-of-rack 100GbE switch-to-server interconnects in the same rack. ConnectX-4 EN, ConnectX-5 EN, and ConnectX-6 Dx EN host adapter uplinks to Spectrum-series switches. Storage backend connectivity between NVMe-oF arrays and access-layer switches in adjacent racks. Cost-sensitive 100GbE link aggregation (LAG) bundles where in-rack reach is sufficient.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MCP1600-C003
NVIDIA P/N: 980-9I62X-00C003
Form Factor: QSFP28 to QSFP28 (Point-to-Point)
Data Rate: 100GbE (4x 25Gb/s NRZ)
Cable Type: Passive Copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC)
Length: 3m
Power Draw: Passive (no incremental host power)
FEC: IEEE 802.3bj RS-FEC typically required end-to-end
Condition: New (unused)
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Spectrum-series switches (SN2000, SN3000, SN4000) and ConnectX-4 EN, ConnectX-5 EN, ConnectX-6 Dx EN host adapters configured for native 100GbE. Generally compatible with third-party 100GbE QSFP28 ports that accept Mellanox-coded passive copper cables. Not compatible with InfiniBand-only ports unless the host supports VPI reconfiguration. Not compatible with SFP28 ports, 40GbE-only ports, or active optical breakout adapters. This is a 1:1 QSFP28-to-QSFP28 cable; it does not support 4x25G breakout to four SFP28 endpoints. Reach is fixed at 3m.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS sources MCP1600-C003 cables in original sealed packaging where available, validates link establishment on each cable before dispatch, and ships within 1–3 business days from order confirmation. Bulk pricing is available on request.