AOC — Active Optical Cable
Definition
A network cable with integrated transceivers at both ends and a fiber-optic conductor, providing optical interconnect in a pre-assembled cable form factor.
Context & Usage
AOCs are used where DAC reach is insufficient (over 7m) and traditional fiber + separate transceivers add complexity. Reach: 3m to 100m. Lower power than DAC for long runs. Common form factors: SFP+ AOC (10G), QSFP+ AOC (40G), QSFP28 AOC (100G).
Examples
- Mellanox MFA1A00-C010 (10m 100 GbE AOC)
- Cisco QSFP-100G-AOC10M
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