SGI 018-1654-001 56Gb/s VPI QSFP Active Optical Cable, 30m — the 018-1654-001 is a 30-meter SGI-branded active optical cable (AOC) terminated in QSFP connectors at both ends, supporting up to 56Gb/s VPI (Virtual Protocol Interconnect) operation for FDR InfiniBand or 56GbE Ethernet. MPN: 018-1654-001. This product IS a fixed-length integrated QSFP-to-QSFP AOC; it is NOT a passive copper DAC, NOT a transceiver with a removable patch cord, NOT a QSFP28 (100Gb/s) cable. OEM: SGI (HPE-acquired). Condition: refurbished.
Engineering Context
The 018-1654-001 carries 4 lanes of 14Gb/s NRZ over multimode fiber inside a sealed, factory-terminated assembly, aggregating to 56Gb/s line rate. At 30m, the cable bridges spans well beyond passive copper DAC reach (typically capped at 5m for FDR-class signaling). Active optics on each end convert electrical QSFP signaling to and from VCSEL-driven multimode fiber, providing full EMI immunity and lower bundle weight than copper. BER targets meet the IEEE/IBTA 56Gb/s FDR specification. Designed for cross-row InfiniBand fabrics where reach is the constraint.
Deployment & Use Cases
Cross-row 56Gb/s InfiniBand FDR uplinks between leaf and spine switches in HPC clusters. Long-reach links in SGI ICE / UV InfiniBand fabrics. Mellanox SwitchX-2 (SX6000-series) FDR fabric trunks. 56GbE Ethernet aggregation between racks where copper DAC reach is insufficient. Connections to remote storage shelves and dedicated analytics nodes outside a single rack footprint.
Technical Specifications
OEM: SGI
Part Number: 018-1654-001
Cable Type: Active Optical Cable (AOC), point-to-point
Form Factor: QSFP to QSFP
Data Rate: Up to 56Gb/s (4x 14Gb/s NRZ)
Protocols: FDR InfiniBand and 56GbE Ethernet (VPI)
Length: 30m
Fiber: Multimode, integrated
Termination: Sealed; not field-repairable
Condition: Refurbished — Tested by T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
Compatibility & Hard Constraints
Compatible with SGI ICE / UV InfiniBand fabrics, Mellanox SwitchX-2 (SX6000-series) FDR switches, and Mellanox ConnectX-3 / ConnectX-3 Pro VPI host adapters. Host port must be configured for InfiniBand FDR or 56GbE depending on the workload. NOT a QSFP28 (100Gb/s) cable — this is QSFP14 / FDR class, capped at 56Gb/s. NOT compatible with EDR InfiniBand (100Gb/s) or HDR (200Gb/s) ports at native EDR/HDR rate. NOT a 1:4 breakout cable; it is QSFP-to-QSFP fixed point-to-point. NOT a passive copper DAC. Length is fixed at 30m and is not field-shortenable.
Why Choose T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS
T.E.S IT-SOLUTIONS tests all FDR / 56GbE QSFP AOCs for optical output power, lane integrity, and BER margin prior to dispatch. Lab-verified stock, 1–3 business day handling, global shipping. Technical consultation available for FDR InfiniBand and SGI ICE / UV fabric deployments. Visit tes-itsolutions.com.