Mellanox MFA1A00-Exxx are QSFP28 VCSEL-based (Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Laser) active optical cables designed for use in InfiniBand 100Gb/s EDR systems. 100G EDR AOCs are the most popular interconnect used in very high-speed InfiniBand High Performance Computing (HPC) environments as they offer predictable latency, very low power (2.2W) and enable increased air flow, tighter bend radii and significantly longer reach compared to DAC cables. Since the AOC is hot pluggable, it is easy to install and replace.

MFA1A00-Exxx has a standard SFF-8665 compliant QSFP28 port on the electrical side towards the host system. It contains four multi-mode fibers (MMF) optic transceivers per end, each operating at data rates of up to 26Gb/s.

MFA1A00-Exxx offers selectable retiming per lane for both its optical transmitters and receivers for the 25-26Gbp/s rates, but the AOC also supports lower bit rates without retiming. The transmitters have programmable input equalizers and input squelch function, while the receivers have programmable output amplitude and pre-emphasis.

Mellanoxs unique, quality, active, fiber, cable solutions provide power-efficient connectivity for data center interconnects. They enable higher port bandwidth, density and configurability at a low cost and reduced power requirement in the data centers. Rigorous production testing ensures the best out-of-the-box installation experience, performance and durability.