Home page

SOLUTION · Data Center & AI Networking

Data Center & AI Networking Connectivity Solutions

High-speed optical and copper interconnect solutions for AI clusters, HPC fabrics and cloud data center networks, from 25G/100G server access to 400G/800G leaf-spine and accelerator connectivity.

View Product Families → Talk to an Engineer

FIG. 00 — LEAF-SPINE & COMPUTE FABRIC OSFP / QSFP-DD / QSFP28

Optical / Fiber Interconnect Electrical / Copper Interconnect

Primary Applications

AI / HPC / Cloud Data Centers

Data Rates

25G → 800G

Interconnects

Optics / DAC / AOC / AEC

Core Components

Transceivers / Cages / Mgmt RJ45

Application Scenarios

Where Data Center Connectivity Requirements Diverge

Physical interconnects must match the specific layer of the network. A GPU node prioritizes extreme bandwidth and thermal dissipation, while a server NIC prioritizes low power and form factor.

AI / GPU Cluster

Typical Connectivity

400G / 800G Ethernet, InfiniBand

Core Engineering Focus

Bandwidth Ultra-low Latency Thermal Dissipation OSFP / QSFP-DD

HPC Fabric

Typical Connectivity

200G / 400G InfiniBand, Ethernet

Core Engineering Focus

FEC Optimization BER Rates AOC / SR Optics

Leaf-Spine Backbone

Typical Connectivity

100G / 400G / 800G

Core Engineering Focus

Fiber Reach (SMF) Port Density Breakout Mapping

Server / NIC Access

Typical Connectivity

25G / 100G / 200G

Core Engineering Focus

NIC Form Factor Passive DAC BMC Port Management

Topology Maps

Data Center & AI Network Connectivity Architecture

Select a fabric architecture to see how the host systems map directly to the required physical transceivers, cables and cages.

Ethernet Fabric

Typical BOM-Level Components

Representative connectivity components for this architecture.

01
Optical Transceivers Active optical interface Pluggable optical modules for high-speed spine, leaf and accelerator links.

400G / 800G Explore →
02
Transceiver Cages Host-side mechanical interface Cage and connector assemblies matched to the host PCB.

QSFP-DD / OSFP Explore →
03
Short-Reach Interconnects Electrical / active cable options Cable assemblies for rack-scale and short-reach fabric links.

DAC / AOC / AEC Explore →
04
Management Connectivity BMC / OOB Ethernet RJ45 and LAN magnetics for management interfaces.

RJ45 / Magnetics Explore →

Component Selection

Select the Interconnect by Reach, Power and System Constraint

DAC (Direct Attach Copper)

Passive copper cabling for very short reach in-rack connections.

Core Engineering Focus

Lowest latency
Zero power consumption
Lowest cost per port
Typical reach depends on data rate, cable implementation and deployment conditions

AEC (Active Electrical Cable)

Copper cables with integrated re-timers to extend electrical reach.

Core Engineering Focus

Extends copper reach limitations
Thinner gauge than passive DAC
Lower power than optics
Typical reach depends on data rate and deployment

AOC (Active Optical Cable)

Factory-terminated optical assembly with no field patching required.

Core Engineering Focus

Typical reach depends on data rate and optical generation
Immune to EMI
Lighter weight for cable trays
Excellent for rack-to-rack

Optical Transceivers

Pluggable modules (SR, DR, FR, LR) requiring separate fiber patching.

Core Engineering Focus

Typical reach depends on wavelength, SMF/MMF constraints and optical budget
Field-replaceable components
Supports structured cabling
Higher power and thermal requirements than passive copper, depending on module generation and implementation

Interface Mapping

Data Rate and Form Factor Matrix

Data Rate

Typical Lane Architecture

Common Form Factors

25G

1 × 25G NRZ

SFP28

100G

4 × 25G NRZ

QSFP28 SFP-DD

200G

4 × 50G PAM4

QSFP56 QSFP-DD * OSFP *

400G

8 × 50G PAM4

QSFP-DD OSFP QSFP112 *

800G

8 × 100G PAM4

QSFP-DD800 OSFP

* Note: Examples shown are representative implementations; actual host electrical architecture, module specification and form-factor implementation must be verified before component selection.

Engineering Constraints

Constraints That Determine the Interconnect

Signal & Protocol

PAM4 vs NRZModern 50G-class and above electrical lanes commonly use PAM4; verify the host ASIC, module and lane architecture before selection.
FEC RequirementVerify whether Forward Error Correction (FEC) is host-managed, module-dependent or mandatory for the target distance.
Breakout MappingWhen splitting 400G to 4x100G, lane mapping must align exactly with host port configuration.

Optical & Fiber

Wavelength & ReachMatch SR/DR/FR/LR designations to your actual fiber infrastructure (SMF vs MMF) and budget.
DOM / DDMWhere supported, verify diagnostic fields for module temperature, voltage and Tx/Rx optical power and confirm host-side visibility.

Electrical & Host

EEPROM / CMISCommon Management Interface Specification (CMIS) versions must align for the host to successfully initialize 400G/800G modules.
Vendor CodingMany switches reject unrecognized vendor IDs. EEPROM must be coded for specific OEM compatibility.

Mechanical & Thermal

Power ClassHigh-power OSFP/QSFP-DD modules must not exceed the host port's maximum rated power class.
Cage HeatsinksSelect cage fin or pin heatsink profiles based directly on system airflow direction (front-to-back vs back-to-front).

Bom Selection