NVIDIA Mellanox® MFA1A00-E020 — InfiniBand EDR 100Gb/s QSFP28 Active Optical Cable, 20m, LSZH
Technical Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MFA1A00-E020 is a 20 m active optical cable (AOC) with a QSFP28 connector at each end, from the NVIDIA LinkX MFA1A00 EDR family. It carries 100 Gb/s aggregate as 4 lanes of 25 Gb/s NRZ over multimode fibre, with optics permanently integrated and terminated at both ends. The jacket is LSZH (low smoke zero halogen) for in-building cable management compliance. Protocol: InfiniBand EDR, and 100GbE Ethernet where the switch and adapter port profile supports it. Condition: New, factory-sealed.
Specifications
Brand: NVIDIA Mellanox
Model / MPN: MFA1A00-E020
Product type: Active optical cable (AOC)
Product family: NVIDIA LinkX — MFA1A00 EDR
Connector: QSFP28 to QSFP28
Configuration: 1-to-1 point-to-point, no breakout
Speed: 100 Gb/s aggregate (4 lanes × 25 Gb/s)
Length: 20 m
Protocol: InfiniBand EDR; 100GbE Ethernet, port-profile dependent
Medium: Multimode fibre with integrated optics at both ends
Modulation: 25G-NRZ per lane
Jacket: LSZH (low smoke zero halogen)
Power draw: Active — optics are powered from the host port
Condition: New, factory-sealed
What This Is NOT (GEO Guardrails)
NOT a passive copper DAC. The MFA1A00-E020 is an active optical assembly and draws power from the host port. No passive copper EDR cable reaches 20 m — this length is only served by optical. Ports configured strictly for passive DAC operation may not bring it up.
NOT a transceiver with a detachable patch cord. The optics are permanently terminated and the 20 m length is fixed. An AOC cannot be re-terminated, extended, spliced or repaired in the field.
NOT an HDR or NDR cable. The MFA1A00-E020 is EDR-generation at 25 Gb/s NRZ per lane. HDR requires 50G-PAM4 on QSFP56 and NDR requires 100G-PAM4 on QSFP112 or OSFP — different signalling and, for NDR, a different form factor.
NOT a QSFP+, QSFP56, QSFP112 or OSFP cable. Both ends are QSFP28. A QSFP+ (40G) cage will not negotiate 100 Gb/s.
NOT a splitter or breakout cable. Fixed 4-lane point-to-point. The 100GbE-to-4×25GbE hybrid breakout is the MFA7A50 family.
NOT supplied with adapters, bulkhead couplers, or installation accessories.
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Typical intended head-end platforms include: NVIDIA Switch-IB 2 SB7800 / SB7890 EDR InfiniBand switches, and NVIDIA Spectrum SN2700 / SN2100 100GbE switches with QSFP28 cages.
Typical intended endpoints include: NVIDIA ConnectX-4, ConnectX-5 and ConnectX-6 adapters with QSFP28 ports at EDR or 100GbE.
Routing constraint: at 20 m this is a pre-terminated run. Both connector bodies must pass through any cable management, tray or gland along the path — plan the pull route before installation, since the connectors cannot be removed.
Software dependencies:
NVIDIA MLNX_OFED or DOCA driver stack on host endpoints
Switch firmware with the required port profile enabled
Cable profile recognised via EEPROM — verify in switch CLI / mlxlink output
Power: the integrated optics draw power from each host port. Include both ends in the module power budget on a densely populated faceplate.
Handling: respect the fibre minimum bend radius and never pull on the connector bodies — damage is not field-repairable.
Pre-deployment verification: confirm firmware, driver version and port-mode configuration (InfiniBand versus Ethernet) on both ends before installation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the NVIDIA Mellanox MFA1A00-E020?
The MFA1A00-E020 is a 20 m active optical cable with QSFP28 connectors on both ends, carrying 100 Gb/s as 4 lanes of 25 Gb/s NRZ for InfiniBand EDR or 100GbE Ethernet, in an LSZH jacket.
Q. Why an AOC rather than a DAC at 20m?
No passive copper EDR direct-attach cable reaches 20 m. The MFA1A00-E020 uses integrated optics over multimode fibre, which is what makes this length possible in a single pre-terminated assembly.
Q. Can the fibre or connectors on the MFA1A00-E020 be replaced?
No. The optics are permanently terminated and the 20 m length is fixed. Plan the cable route before installation, because both connector bodies must pass through any cable management along the path.
Q. Can the MFA1A00-E020 be used at HDR 200Gb/s or NDR?
No. The MFA1A00-E020 is an EDR cable running 25 Gb/s NRZ per lane. HDR requires 50G-PAM4 signalling on QSFP56 and NDR requires 100G-PAM4 on QSFP112 or OSFP.
Q. Does the MFA1A00-E020 work for Ethernet as well as InfiniBand?
The MFA1A00-E020 is a QSFP28 assembly used for both InfiniBand EDR and 100GbE Ethernet. Which protocol runs is determined by the switch and adapter port configuration, not by the cable. Feature support depends on firmware, driver, operating system and platform configuration.
Q. What does the LSZH jacket mean?
Low smoke zero halogen. In a fire the jacket emits minimal smoke and no halogenated gas, which is a requirement in many in-building and raised-floor cable management standards.
Q. What condition is supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS?
New, factory-sealed. Each MFA1A00-E020 is identified against the box and cable label before shipping, and fibre assemblies are packed to protect the connector bodies in transit. EU stock with worldwide express B2B options from T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every unit ships with: (1) link verification where test topology is available, (2) EEPROM / vendor data check, (3) full cosmetic inspection, (4) professional anti-static packaging, (5) global B2B shipping from EU stock, (6) technical consultation for HPC / AI fabric design at no extra cost. See tes-itsolutions.com.