What is DAC?

Direct Attach Cable, simplified as DAC, usually called direct connected cable or direct connected copper cable.
Direct Attach Cable has two types:
1. 10G SFP+ DAC
2. 40G QSFP+ to 4 SFP+
This cable can not replace the port, the module head and the copper can not be separated.

In the data center, copper cable is usually used in connecting the server and storage area network (SAN). Most is direct attach copper cable, and the passive copper cable is the most using.
For the cheaper price and higher transmission speed of passive copper cable, it becomes the best service solution of realizing the short distance transmission.

DAC Application:
DAC is usually used in the optical port switch, such as LY2 switch.


What is AOC?

Active Optical Cable, simplified as AOC.

AOC Application:
AOC is made of integrated circuit components, using for procession high rate and high reliability transmission equipment in data center, HPC, bulk memory equipment and so on. It generally satisfy the industrial standard electrical interface, by inter ex-change of electric-optic-electric and using the superiority of optical cable to transmit the data.

AOC Structure:
Active Optical Cable = two optical media converters + optical patch cord

DAC can be active and passive, but AOC is always active. The types of passive and active optical cable in data center is showed as the following picture:

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