{"title":"DAC \/ AOC Cables","description":"\u003ch2\u003eShort Reach. Zero Compromise.\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhen 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDAC (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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eDAC vs. AOC: Choosing the Right Cable\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDAC Passive (up to 3m):\u003c\/strong\u003e Lowest cost, lowest power, zero latency overhead. The default choice for same-rack server-to-switch connections.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDAC Active (3–7m):\u003c\/strong\u003e Signal conditioning electronics extend reach slightly while maintaining the copper core. Good for adjacent-rack connections without going to fiber.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAOC (7–100m):\u003c\/strong\u003e Active optical cables for inter-rack and end-of-row connections where copper reach is insufficient. Same plug-and-play simplicity, fiber performance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBreakout Cables:\u003c\/strong\u003e QSFP28 to 4x SFP28 or QSFP-DD to 2x QSFP28 breakout configurations for connecting multiple servers to a single high-speed switch port.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpeed Options:\u003c\/strong\u003e 25GbE, 40GbE, 100GbE, 200GbE, 400GbE — matched to your NIC and switch port speeds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMulti-Vendor Compatibility:\u003c\/strong\u003e Every cable in our catalog is tested for compatibility with major switch and NIC platforms. No surprises at installation time.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCabling Your AI Cluster the Right Way\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFor a standard spine-leaf AI cluster:\u003c\/strong\u003e 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 \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/optical-modules\"\u003eOptical Modules\u003c\/a\u003e for the spine layer and our \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/switches\"\u003eSwitches\u003c\/a\u003e for the complete fabric.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eCable Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDAC reach: 0.5m to 7m (passive and active variants)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAOC reach: 1m to 100m\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpeeds: 10G, 25G, 40G, 100G, 200G, 400G\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eConnector types: SFP+, SFP28, QSFP+, QSFP28, QSFP-DD, OSFP\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBreakout options: 1x40G to 4x10G, 1x100G to 4x25G, 1x400G to 4x100G\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOperating temperature: 0–70°C standard, -10–85°C extended on select models\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCertifications: RoHS, CE, FCC, MSA compliant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSimple Cables. Serious Performance.\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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. \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/request-a-quote\"\u003eRequest a quote\u003c\/a\u003e for bulk cable orders, or browse our full \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/networking\"\u003eNetworking collection\u003c\/a\u003e to complete your fabric design.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/0525\/9582\/collections\/dac-aoc.png?v=1782104282","url":"https:\/\/dvun.com\/collections\/dac-aoc-cables.oembed","provider":"DVUN","version":"1.0","type":"link"}