NVIDIA Mellanox MCP1600-E02A QSFP28 InfiniBand EDR Passive Copper Cable, 100Gb/s, 2.5m: This is a passive copper Direct Attach Cable (DAC) with QSFP28 connectors on both ends, engineered for InfiniBand EDR fabrics 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 Ethernet-only DAC, or a splitter. This is a refurbished unit tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
At 2.5 meters, the MCP1600-E02A is sized for intra-rack and adjacent-rack EDR connectivity where passive copper still meets reach and signal-integrity requirements. The 28AWG conductors balance bend radius and cable bulk for dense rack cabling while keeping insertion loss within EDR specifications. The Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket complies with data center fire-safety codes. As passive copper, it draws zero power and adds deterministic, sub-microsecond physical-layer latency, which matters for synchronous HPC collectives and RDMA traffic. Bit-error-rate target is below 1E-15, the EDR specification.
Deployment & Use Cases
HPC compute-node to Top-of-Rack EDR switch links. ConnectX-4 and ConnectX-5 EDR adapter to Switch-IB 2 (SB77xx) leaf-switch connections. RDMA storage front-end fabric inside a rack. Lab and proof-of-concept benches where short, low-cost copper EDR is preferred over fiber.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MCP1600-E02A
- Cable Type: Passive Copper DAC
- Connectivity: QSFP28 to QSFP28 (point-to-point)
- Data Rate: 100Gb/s (4x 25Gb/s NRZ)
- Protocol: InfiniBand EDR
- Length: 2.5 meters
- Wire Gauge: 28 AWG
- Jacket: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
- Condition: Refurbished - Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Constraints
Compatible with NVIDIA Mellanox Switch-IB 2 EDR switches (SB77xx series) and ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 EDR adapters in QSFP28 ports configured for InfiniBand mode. Will operate as 100GbE on Spectrum SN2000 switches and ConnectX-4/5 EN adapters when ports are set to Ethernet, but EDR is the primary tested mode. Not compatible with HDR (200G) or NDR (400G) ports at full host-side rate. Not a splitter cable. Not for QSFP+ (40G) ports without manual rate negotiation. Fixed 2.5m length.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MCP1600-E02A?
The MCP1600-E02A is a 2.5m passive copper DAC with QSFP28 connectors, rated for InfiniBand EDR 100Gb/s.
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-E02A 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 EDR DAC for lane integrity, connector condition, and link-up stability before shipment. We provide expert consultation on InfiniBand EDR fabric topology, global shipping, and warranty coverage. Visit https://www.tes-itsolutions.com/ for the full Mellanox catalog. Handling time: 1-3 business days.