Direct Attach Cable, or DAC for short, is a type of cable that is used to connect switches and other devices together. It offers a number of advantages over traditional Ethernet cables. In this article, we will discuss what Direct Attach Cable is, how it works, and some of its key benefits. We will also provide an overview of the different types of DACs available on the market today.
DAC high-speed cables are often used in short-distance wiring schemes in data centers. Compared with other AOC active optical cables and optical module transmission schemes, their advantages are higher cost performance, but the short transmission distance is its limitation. If the distance between devices exceeds the high-speed length of the cable, then the AOC active optical cable and optical module solution should be selected.
The DAC high-speed cable adopts the integrated design of the module connector and the copper core cable, which is cost-effective and can save 50% of the budget. It is an ideal solution for short-distance transmission within or between cabinets. In the TOR cabling design, the TOR switches and servers are usually placed in the same cabinet, at least one switch is placed in each rack, and the servers in the rack are usually connected to the switches through copper cables. Therefore, the connection product between the server and the TOR switch does not need to choose a product with a longer transmission distance. Taking the 10G network as an example, the interconnection of the 10G SFP+ ports in the equipment using 10G DAC high-speed cables is the most cost-effective, and the procurement cost can be minimized without affecting the transmission performance.
Common DAC high-speed cables have transmission rates of 1G, 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, etc. At present, the demand for 10G DAC high-speed cables is larger than other high-speed DACs. It uses silver-plated copper conductors to prevent oxidation and corrosion. Layer high shielding protection, low crosstalk, to ensure the integrity and stability of the transmitted signal. The length of the cable can be customized according to the needs, the longest can be up to 15 meters, and the general length is 1~7 meters. High-speed cables can be used in switched fabric I/O in storage area networks, network-attached storage, and storage servers, such as ultra-high-bandwidth switches and routers, data center cabling, and high-density connections between infrastructure network devices.
Direct attach cables are a great way to ensure that your system stays running smoothly. They have been designed with high quality materials and construction, which ensures durability in comparison to other methods of installation like soldering or splicing wires from different units. The specific advantages are as follows:
- High performance: suitable for short-distance wiring in data centers, with a wide range of applications;
- Energy saving and environmental protection: The internal material of the high-speed cable is copper, and the natural heat dissipation effect of copper is good, saving energy;
- Low power consumption: the power consumption of passive cables is 0, and the power consumption of active optical cables is usually 440mW;
- Low cost: The price of copper cable is lower than that of optical fiber.
