In today's fiercely competitive teleconmunications industry, everyone aims to gain a competitive edge, whether in terms of performance, efficiency, or cost. While many data center upgrades focus on network adapters and switch configurations, there is an extremely basic yet equally effective way to enhance deployed data centers: rethinking interconnection cables. Currently, there are three different forms of data transmission cables on the market: DAC, AEC, and ACC. They differ in transmission medium, performance characteristics, and application scenarios.
DAC (Direct Attach Cable) is generally translated as direct cable or direct-attach copper cable. It is usually procured in fixed lengths, with fixed connectors at both ends. The module head and the copper cable cannot be separated. DAC data conmunication cables are increasingly accepted by users due to their high cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, high speed, high composite, and low loss advantages. They have become the first choice for high-speed data conmunication solutions, widely used in storage area networks, data centers, and high-performance computer connections.
Features
High Performance: Suitable for short-distance cabling in data centers, with a wide range of use and strong integrated solution switching capabilities.
Energy-saving & Environmentally friendly: The internal material of the data conmunication cable is copper core, which has good natural heat dissipation, is energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Low Power Consumption: The power consumption of data conmunication cables is low. Passive cables do not require a power supply; the power consumption of data transmission cables is usually around 440mW.
Low Cost: The price of copper cables is much lower than optical fibers, and using data transmission cables can significantly reduce the cabling cost of the entire data center.
AEC (Active Electrical Cable) is released by the HiWire Alliance. The HiWire AEC specification defines the standards for basic electrical and mechanical specifications. AEC data conmunication cables support transmission rates of 100G, 200G, and 400G, with packaging types including QSFP56, OSFP, and QSFP-DD. The maximum transmission distance can reach 7 meters. They have forward error correction (FEC) function and cable retiming capability, ensuring perfectly balanced signals with ultra-low bit error rates.
Features
Power Consumption: Both AOC and AEC have lower power consumption than DAC, helping to reduce the overall system energy consumption.
Transmission Distance: DAC transmission distance is limited, usually within 5 meters; AEC can extend the transmission distance to longer application scenarios through signal enhancement technology.
Price: AOC contains lasers and optical fibers, making it more expensive; DAC and AEC are relatively cheaper, suitable for large-scale applications.
Size and Weight: AOC and AEC are smaller and lighter than DAC, making them more suitable for space-constrained application scenarios.
ACC (Active Copper Cable) is a technology that adds a certain capability linear redriver to the receiving end (Rx end) of the cable to provide signal equalization and shaping. It uses a chip to compensate for the high-frequency loss of passive copper cable DAC, similar to data conmunication cables that amplify quasi-signals. It extends the transmission distance of traditional copper cables to longer application scenarios. ACC can also be used to connect TOR and servers, providing an economical and efficient way for short links, thus offering greater bandwidth transmission. ACC transmission distance can exceed 3m in high-speed transmission. Choosing the correct cable length is very important as it may be the key variable in overall performance.
Features
Scene Suitability: Mainly used in scenarios that require signal amplification and compression.
Transmission Distance: The transmission distance is relatively short and does not have repair and reshaping functions.
Market Space: The market space is relatively small but still has applications in some cost-sensitive scenarios with low transmission distance requirements.
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