DAC / AOC Cables

Short Reach. Zero Compromise.

When your switch and your server are in the same rack — or the next one over — you don't need a transceiver and a fiber patch cord. You need a cable that plugs directly into both ends, delivers full line-rate bandwidth, and doesn't introduce any unnecessary complexity into your cabling plant. That's exactly what DAC and AOC cables do, and they do it better than any alternative for connections under 10 meters.

DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cables use a fixed copper twinax assembly with integrated SFP, QSFP, or OSFP connectors on each end. They're passive (no active electronics), which means lower power consumption, lower cost, and near-zero latency. AOC (Active Optical Cable) cables use the same plug-and-play form factor but replace the copper core with fiber and add small active transceivers at each end — extending reach to 30–100 meters while maintaining the simplicity of a single cable assembly.

For AI cluster builds, DAC and AOC cables are the right choice for the majority of server-to-leaf-switch connections. They're faster to deploy than discrete transceiver-plus-fiber solutions, less prone to installation errors, and often significantly cheaper at scale.

DAC vs. AOC: Choosing the Right Cable

  • DAC Passive (up to 3m): Lowest cost, lowest power, zero latency overhead. The default choice for same-rack server-to-switch connections.
  • DAC Active (3–7m): Signal conditioning electronics extend reach slightly while maintaining the copper core. Good for adjacent-rack connections without going to fiber.
  • AOC (7–100m): Active optical cables for inter-rack and end-of-row connections where copper reach is insufficient. Same plug-and-play simplicity, fiber performance.
  • Breakout Cables: QSFP28 to 4x SFP28 or QSFP-DD to 2x QSFP28 breakout configurations for connecting multiple servers to a single high-speed switch port.
  • Speed Options: 25GbE, 40GbE, 100GbE, 200GbE, 400GbE — matched to your NIC and switch port speeds.
  • Multi-Vendor Compatibility: Every cable in our catalog is tested for compatibility with major switch and NIC platforms. No surprises at installation time.

Cabling Your AI Cluster the Right Way

For a standard spine-leaf AI cluster: Use passive DAC cables for all server-to-leaf connections within the same rack. Use AOC cables for server-to-leaf connections that span rack boundaries. Use optical transceivers with fiber for all leaf-to-spine connections. This approach minimizes cost, maximizes reliability, and keeps your cabling plant clean and manageable. Pair with our Optical Modules for the spine layer and our Switches for the complete fabric.

Cable Specifications

  • DAC reach: 0.5m to 7m (passive and active variants)
  • AOC reach: 1m to 100m
  • Speeds: 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, 200G, 400G
  • Connector types: SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, QSFP28, QSFP-DD, OSFP
  • Breakout options: 1x40G to 4x10G, 1x100G to 4x25G, 1x400G to 4x100G
  • Operating temperature: 0–70°C standard, -10–85°C extended on select models
  • Certifications: RoHS, CE, FCC, MSA compliant

Simple Cables. Serious Performance.

The best cabling solution is the one that works reliably, deploys quickly, and doesn't require a specialist to install. DVUN's DAC and AOC cable collection gives you exactly that — for every speed and reach requirement in your AI cluster build. Request a quote for bulk cable orders, or browse our full Networking collection to complete your fabric design.

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