NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-C03A 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 interconnects. The cable uses twinaxial copper terminated in fixed QSFP28 connectors and runs 4 lanes of 25Gb/s NRZ. This is a passive cable; it is NOT an active copper cable or an AOC and contains no signal-conditioning electronics. This is a refurbished unit.
Engineering Context
The MCP1600-C03A delivers low-cost, low-latency 100GbE inside a single rack. Passive copper draws essentially zero port power because there are no transceiver driver electronics, an advantage at scale across spine-leaf fabrics. The 3-meter length sits at the upper end of standard QSFP28 passive reach and may require RS-FEC enabled at the host. Latency is limited to copper propagation. Cables follow SFF-8636 management and IEEE 802.3bj 100GBASE-CR4 link signaling.
Deployment & Use Cases
Top-of-Rack to server 100GbE uplinks within a rack. Spine-to-leaf interconnects on Spectrum SN2000/SN3000 platforms at short reach. ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5, or ConnectX-6 Dx EN adapter to switch where AOCs are not required. Storage and GPU server interconnects where passive copper is preferred for cost and power.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MCP1600-C03A
- Form Factor: QSFP28 to QSFP28
- Data Rate: 100GbE (4x25Gb/s NRZ)
- Cable Type: Passive Copper (DAC)
- Length: 3m
- Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet
- Standard: IEEE 802.3bj 100GBASE-CR4, SFF-8636
- FEC: RS-FEC (RS(528,514)) typically required at 3m
- Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Spectrum series Ethernet switches (SN2000, SN3000) and ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5, ConnectX-6 Dx EN adapters with QSFP28 ports running 100GbE. Not compatible with QSFP+ (40GbE) ports unless the platform supports 100GbE on the same cage. Not designed for InfiniBand EDR fabrics unless the switch operates in VPI Ethernet mode. Direct QSFP28-to-QSFP28; does not support 4x25G breakout. Fixed 3m length; cannot be extended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the Data Rate of the MCP1600-C03A?
The data rate of the MCP1600-C03A is 100GbE.
Q. Is the MCP1600-C03A supplied new or refurbished, and who supplies it?
The MCP1600-C03A is supplied refurbished by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS, lab-tested before dispatch and shipped from EU stock with 1-3 business day handling. Full listing and current pricing at tes-itsolutions.com.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS tests every refurbished cable for connector retention, conductor continuity, and SFF-8636 EEPROM readout before shipment. We offer expert consultation on 100GbE fabric design, global shipping, 1-3 day handling, and comprehensive warranty.