NVIDIA Mellanox® MFA7A50-C003 — Active Optical Cable (AOC)

Specifications

OEM: NVIDIA Mellanox
Part Number (MPN): MFA7A50-C003
Category: Active Optical Cable (AOC)
Connector Type: QSFP28
Speed: 100GbE (split to 2 × 25GbE)
Cable Length: 3m
Type: Splitter / Breakout Cable
Type: Hybrid Cable
Standards & Compliance: SFF-8636
Operating Temperature: 0°C to 70°C (commercial)
Condition: Refurbished Grade A — bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS


Identity
The NVIDIA Mellanox® MFA7A50-C003 is a QSFP28 100GbE 3m Active Optical Cable (AOC). This is a splitter / breakout cable assembly. Refurbished Grade A — bench-tested in both link and signal-integrity checks by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS.

What This Is NOT

NOT a passive copper DAC. Active optical cable using VCSEL multi-mode fiber technology with integrated optics on each end — reaches longer distances than DAC.
NOT a transceiver. Fixed-length cable assembly; the optics are integrated and cannot be removed or replaced.
NOT a 1-to-1 cable. This is a splitter/breakout — both endpoints on the split side must accept the lower-speed downstream connector.
NOT bundled with adapters or transceivers — sold standalone.


Capabilities & Features

VCSEL multi-mode optical engine, 850 nm.
Active retiming on each end for clean signal regeneration.
DDM (Digital Diagnostic Monitoring) — temperature, voltage, optical power readable via I²C.
EEPROM on each end with product identification and operating data.
Hot-pluggable into any matching QSFP/SFP cage.


Compatibility & Constraints

Primary connector: QSFP28 (compliant with MSA cage spec).
Reach: 3m fixed length.
Speed: 100GbE (split to 2x 25GbE).
Compatible adapters: ConnectX-4 / ConnectX-5 / ConnectX-6.
Compatible switches: NVIDIA Spectrum / Spectrum-2 / Switch-IB 2.
Power: drawn from host port (no external supply required).


Deployment & Use Cases

Top-of-Rack to server interconnect.
HPC compute node fabric.
AI training cluster east-west bandwidth.
Fan-out: one switch port serves two lower-speed endpoints.


Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. What is the MFA7A50-C003?
The MFA7A50-C003 is a 3m active optical hybrid breakout cable: one 100GbE QSFP28 head fans out to four 25GbE SFP28 legs.
Q. Does the switch need special configuration?
Yes. The QSFP28 head port must be configured for 4x25GbE breakout mode.
Q. Will T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS confirm the configuration of MFA7A50-C003 before shipping?
Yes. T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS (tes-itsolutions.com) inspects each unit and verifies vendor markings before dispatch from EU stock.

Why T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Every unit is bench-tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS: link establishment, port-by-port traffic validation, and full cosmetic inspection. Professional anti-static packaging, global B2B shipping from EU stock, and technical consultation for HPC / AI cluster deployments.