NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-C00A QSFP28 100GbE Passive Copper Cable, 0.5m: This is a short-reach passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC) with QSFP28 connectors on both ends, engineered for 100GbE Ethernet point-to-point connectivity at 100Gb/s aggregate (4x 25Gb/s NRZ). It is a fixed-length copper assembly with no optics, no DSP, and no breakout, and is not an Active Optical Cable, an InfiniBand-only DAC, or a splitter. This is a refurbished unit tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
At 0.5 meters, the MCP1600-C00A is the shortest standard length in the MCP1600-C 100GbE family, sized for top-of-rack switch port-to-port jumpers and stacked-server connections inside a single rack unit footprint. Short copper benefits from minimal insertion loss and excellent signal margin without active equalization. As passive copper, it draws zero power and adds deterministic, sub-microsecond physical-layer latency, which matters for east-west RDMA traffic and time-sensitive Ethernet applications. The Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket meets data center fire-safety codes and improves rack-density handling.
Deployment & Use Cases
Top-of-Rack Spectrum (SN2000) switch stacking and ISL links inside a single rack. ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 EN adapter to ToR 100GbE switch links for adjacent compute nodes. Lab and bench-test 100GbE setups where minimum reach is acceptable. Storage front-end RDMA over Converged Ethernet (RoCE) inside a single chassis-aware rack.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MCP1600-C00A
- Cable Type: Passive Copper DAC
- Connectivity: QSFP28 to QSFP28 (point-to-point)
- Data Rate: 100Gb/s (4x 25Gb/s NRZ)
- Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet
- Length: 0.5 meters
- Jacket: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
- Power: Passive (no power)
- Condition: Refurbished - Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum 100GbE Ethernet switches (SN2000 series) and ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 EN adapters in QSFP28 ports configured for Ethernet mode. Will operate as InfiniBand EDR on Switch-IB 2 and ConnectX-4/5 VPI when ports are set to InfiniBand, but the MCP1600-C series is the Ethernet-marked SKU; for IB-marked SKUs, the MCP1600-E series is the equivalent. Direct QSFP28-to-QSFP28 cable; does not support breakout to 4x25G. Not compatible with QSFP-DD or QSFP56 ports. Fixed 0.5m length cannot be extended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MCP1600-C00A?
The MCP1600-C00A is a 0.5m passive copper DAC with QSFP28 connectors on both ends, rated for 100GbE Ethernet.
Q. Is this a splitter cable?
No. It is a straight 1-to-1 QSFP28-to-QSFP28 point-to-point assembly.
Q. Will T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS confirm the configuration of MCP1600-C00A before shipping?
Yes. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS (tes-itsolutions.com) bench-tests each unit where test topology is available, before dispatch from EU stock.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS electrically validates every 100GbE DAC for lane integrity, connector condition, and link-up stability before shipment. We provide expert consultation on Spectrum Ethernet fabric design, global shipping, and warranty coverage. Visit https://www.tes-itsolutions.com/ for the full Mellanox catalog. Handling time: 1-3 business days.