NVIDIA Mellanox 100GbE to 4x25GbE QSFP28-to-4xSFP28 Active Fiber Hybrid Breakout Cable 3m - MFA7A50-C003
This active fiber hybrid breakout cable is the NVIDIA Mellanox MFA7A50-C003, a QSFP28-to-4xSFP28 cable that splits a single 100GbE uplink into four independent 25GbE connections over a 3-meter reach. This is a refurbished unit, professionally tested and validated by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS. It is NOT a 1-to-1 cable, and it is NOT an InfiniBand cable. It splits Ethernet only.
Engineering Context
The MFA7A50-C003 uses active fiber optics to convert one QSFP28 100GbE port into four SFP28 25GbE channels using 4x25 Gb/s NRZ signaling. The cable uses multimode fiber (MMF) with VCSEL 850 nm optics. The LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen) jacket complies with data center fire safety standards. Each SFP28 end provides an independent 25GbE link for connection to separate server NICs, ToR switch ports, or storage targets.
Deployment and Use Cases
The MFA7A50-C003 is deployed in Ethernet data center fabrics for aggregation and distribution topologies where a 100GbE spine or aggregation switch port must fan out to four separate 25GbE servers or leaf switch uplinks. It connects NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum switches (SN2700, SN3700) or ConnectX-5/ConnectX-6 100GbE NICs to four separate 25GbE endpoints. Common deployments include hyperscale web clusters, storage tiering architectures, and multi-tenant environments requiring per-server 25GbE connectivity from shared 100GbE uplinks.
Technical Specifications
Model: MFA7A50-C003
NVIDIA P/N: 980-9I40N-00C003
Cable Type: Active Fiber Hybrid Breakout Cable
Connector: QSFP28 to 4x SFP28
Data Rate: 100GbE to 4x 25GbE
Lane Configuration: 4x 25 Gb/s NRZ
Length: 3 meters
Fiber Type: Multimode Fiber (MMF)
Optics: VCSEL (850 nm)
Jacket: LSZH (Low Smoke Zero Halogen)
Condition: Refurbished
Compatibility and Hard Constraints
The MFA7A50-C003 requires a QSFP28 port on the 100GbE side and SFP28 ports on the 25GbE side. It is NOT compatible with QSFP56 or QSFP-DD ports at speeds above 100GbE. The SFP28 ends are NOT compatible with SFP+ (10GbE) ports without explicit speed negotiation support from the switch. This is an Ethernet-only cable and does NOT support InfiniBand protocols. The MFA7A50-C005 is the 5-meter variant. This cable is compatible with NVIDIA Mellanox Spectrum switches and ConnectX-5/ConnectX-6 EN adapters with QSFP28 ports.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS provides this MFA7A50-C003 as a professionally refurbished unit with signal integrity testing and connector inspection. Technical consultation is available to verify compatibility. Global shipping is available with 1-3 business day handling time.