NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-C03A 100GbE QSFP28 Passive Copper Cable, 3.5m 26AWG: This is a 3.5-meter passive direct-attach copper (DAC) cable engineered for 100GbE Ethernet point-to-point interconnect. The cable terminates in QSFP28 connectors at both ends, uses 26 AWG conductors, and requires no external power. This is a fixed-length passive assembly, not an active or optical cable. This unit is brand new.
Engineering Context
The MCP1600-C03A is a passive copper cable optimized for short-reach 100GbE Ethernet interconnect at the rack and adjacent-rack level. The QSFP28 form factor carries 4 lanes of 25Gb/s NRZ signaling for the aggregate 100Gb/s rate. The 26 AWG conductor gauge balances signal integrity against cable bend radius and weight at the 3.5m reach. As a passive cable it draws no operational power and adds no signal regeneration latency. The jacket is PVC.
Deployment & Use Cases
100GbE Ethernet fabrics built around NVIDIA Spectrum switches (SN2000, SN3000, SN4000) and ConnectX-4/5/6 Ethernet adapters. Top-of-rack to compute or storage server connections in 100GbE data centers. Aggregation links between leaf switches inside a single rack or to an adjacent rack. Spine-leaf 100GbE fabrics where 3.5m matches rack geometry.
Technical Specifications
OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number: MCP1600-C03A
Form Factor: QSFP28 to QSFP28 (Point-to-Point)
Data Rate: Up to 100Gb/s (4x 25Gb/s NRZ)
Cable Type: Passive Direct-Attach Copper (DAC)
Length: 3.5m
Conductor Gauge: 26 AWG
Jacket: PVC
Protocol: 100GbE Ethernet
Power: Passive (no external power required)
Condition: New — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Spectrum 100GbE switches (SN2000, SN3000, SN4000 series) and ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5, ConnectX-6 EN adapters configured for 100GbE. Direct QSFP28-to-QSFP28 cable; does not support breakout to 4xSFP28 25GbE. Not compatible with HDR (200Gb/s, QSFP56) or FDR (56Gb/s, QSFP+) systems due to form-factor and signaling differences. Reach is bounded by the fixed 3.5m length. Jacket is PVC; if your data center mandates LSZH, select an LSZH variant instead.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS tests every passive copper cable for electrical continuity, lane integrity, and connector condition before shipment. Visit tes-itsolutions.com for the full NVIDIA Mellanox catalog. Standard handling time is 1–3 business days with global shipping and warranty support.