NVIDIA Mellanox MFA1A00-E050 QSFP28 InfiniBand EDR Active Optical Cable, 100Gb/s, 50m LSZH: This is a 50-meter active optical cable (AOC) engineered for InfiniBand EDR point-to-point connectivity at 100Gb/s aggregate (4x 25Gb/s NRZ). The assembly uses VCSEL optics over multi-mode fiber inside a Low Smoke Zero Halogen (LSZH) jacket. This is a fixed-length factory-terminated AOC, not a transceiver pair with separate patch cords, not a passive copper DAC, and not a breakout splitter. This is a NEW unit supplied by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.
Engineering Context
At 50 meters, MFA1A00-E050 covers cross-row and end-of-row InfiniBand EDR runs that exceed the practical reach of passive copper. The integrated VCSEL transceivers eliminate dirty fiber end-face issues common with discrete transceiver and MPO patch-cord pairings. The cable is markedly lighter than copper bundles and adds negligible cable-tray load at 50m. The optical link provides full electromagnetic immunity, which matters when routing past power distribution units. Bit-error-rate target is below 1E-15, the EDR specification. The LSZH jacket meets data center fire-safety codes.
Deployment & Use Cases
HPC and AI clusters where compute racks are separated by aisle-spanning trays from EDR aggregation switches. Cross-data-hall ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 EDR adapter to Switch-IB 2 (SB77xx) leaf-switch links. Storage front-end RDMA fabric with longer reach. Research supercomputers requiring 25-50m EDR spans without splice trays.
Technical Specifications
- OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
- Part Number: MFA1A00-E050
- Cable Type: Active Optical Cable (AOC)
- Connectivity: QSFP28 to QSFP28 (point-to-point)
- Data Rate: 100Gb/s (4x 25Gb/s NRZ)
- Protocol: InfiniBand EDR
- Length: 50 meters
- Optics: VCSEL over multi-mode fiber
- Jacket: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
- BER: <1E-15
- Condition: NEW
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. Direct QSFP28-to-QSFP28 fixed assembly; does not support breakout to 4x25G. Not compatible with HDR (200G) or NDR (400G) ports at full host-side rate. Fixed 50m length cannot be shortened or extended.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MFA1A00-E050?
The MFA1A00-E050 is a 50m active optical cable with QSFP28 connectors, rated for InfiniBand EDR 100Gb/s, LSZH jacket.
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 MFA1A00-E050 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 validates every AOC for optical power output, lane integrity, and connector condition before shipment. We provide expert consultation on InfiniBand EDR fabric cabling, global shipping, and warranty coverage. Visit https://www.tes-itsolutions.com/ for the full Mellanox catalog. Handling time: 1-3 business days.