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Active electrical cables with interconnects.

Active Electrical Cable Solutions

As data centers evolve to support higher data rates and improve signal integrity, versatility in cabling options is crucial to optimizing performance, cost and thermal management. High-speed, pluggable Active Electrical Cables (AECs) use re-timers to efficiently extend the reach of copper cables, delivering design flexibility and superior, low-loss performance up to 224G PAM-4 without the added cost of optical cables.

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Data Rate Wire AWG Backshells Re-timers
Up to 1.6Tbps 34 to 26 AWG OSFP-IHS/RHS, QSFP/DDQ all MSA types Multiple chip partner options available

Features and Benefits

Data centers facing AI-driven demands for increased capacity require cable solutions with higher data rates, better signal integrity and exceptional reliability. High-speed cables must offer a longer reach to support varied within-rack and between-rack requirements, increasing capacity and speed while minimizing space constraints and design limitations. These solutions must also control component and installation costs.

AECs use re-timers to deliver high-speed signals over longer distances, supporting a wide variety of data center applications. Using re-timers improves signal quality and timing integrity while offering hot-swappable options that minimize system downtime.

Molex AECs provide high-speed signals over longer distances of up to 7.0m at 112Gbps and 2.5m+ at 224Gbps, supporting AI-driven data center upgrades and capacity increases while controlling component and installation costs. These cables use small wires between 34 and 26 AWG, simplifying routing and improving thermal management, while various compact interconnect form factors maximize port density. Multiple re-timer options and data rates up to 1.6Tbps are available to match specific application needs.

Cost-Effectively Extends the Reach of High-Performance Cables

AECs effectively improve signal quality and timing integrity, allowing them to span longer distances than passive cables. This reach of up to 7.0m at 112G and 2.5m+ at 224G between application-specific integrated circuits optimizes design flexibility and enhances signal integrity for next-generation digital transmission speeds at a lower cost than optical alternatives.

Molex OSFP-to-OSFP active electrical cable (AEC).

Improves Signal Integrity for High-Speed Applications

The pre-forward error correction bit error rate (pre-FEC BER) of 1E-12, depending on the application, support high-performance data transmission. AECs minimize noise and crosstalk while reducing signal strength requirements for the rest of the channel, easing system design challenges.

Molex QSFP-DD active electrical cable (AEC).

Optimizes Cable Bundles to Make Routing Easier

Compared with heavier direct-attach copper (DAC) cables, AECs support more efficient signal transmission by enabling smaller cable bundle sizes, resulting in cables as small as 34 to 26 AWG. This improves cable routing, airflow and thermal performance.

Molex OSFP active electrical cable (AEC).

Enhances system architecture flexibility
AECs extend the reach of copper cables up to 7.0m at 112G and 2.5m+ at 224G, depending on the application speed, limiting design constraints.

Delivers superior signal integrity
These cables minimize noise and crosstalk while reducing signal strength requirements for the rest of the channel, offering a pre-FEC BER of less than 1E-12, depending on the application.

Simplifies installation and maintenance
Hot-swappable AECs streamline maintenance operations and reduce system downtime.

Enables high-density, high-speed performance for next-generation applications
Available four-lane QSFP, eight-lane OSFP and QSFP-DD, and 16-lane OSFP-XD interconnects support cost-effective, low-loss operation at up to 224G PAM-4 speeds and higher, with a port capacity up to 1,600Gbps, reducing the cost and space requirements of meeting AI-driven capacity demands.

Reduces the cost of longer-reach, high-speed cables
Compared with fiber-optic alternatives such as active optical cables, AECs provide a more cost-effective way of achieving high-performance data transmission at distances up to 7.0m.

Improves thermal management and eases cable routing
Cable sizes from 34 to 26 AWG enable smaller cable bundles, improving airflow, enhancing thermal performance and reducing the bend radius to aid in cable routing work.

Active Electical Cable (AECs) with Re-Timers
Lane Speed Capacity DSP Provider Form Factor
End 1		 Form Factor
End 2		 Length (m) Product Brief
Straight Cables
224G PAM-4 1.6T Broadcom OSFP OSFP 1.0 to 3.0  
224G PAM-4 1.6T Marvell OSFP OSFP 1.0 to 3.0  
112G PAM-4 800G Marvell OSFP OSFP 1.0 to 7.0 Document Download
112G PAM-4 800G Marvell QSFP-DD QSFP-DD 1.0 to 7.0 Document Download
112G PAM-4 800G Broadcom OSFP OSFP 1.0 to 7.0 Document Download
112G PAM-4 800G Broadcom QSFP-DD QSFP-DD 1.0 to 7.0 Document Download
112G PAM-4 800G Point2 OSFP OSFP 1.0 to 7.0  
112G PAM-4 800G Point2 QSFP-DD QSFP-DD 1.0 to 7.0  
PCIe 5.0 800G Astera Labels OSFP-XD OSFP-XD 1.0 to 4.0  
Y Cables
112G PAM-4 800G Marvell OSFP 2 QSFP 1.0 to 7.0  
112G PAM-4 800G Marvell QSFP-DD QSFP 1.0 to 7.0  
112G PAM-4 800G Broadcom QSFP-DD 2 QSFP 1.0 to 7.0  

Podcasts

Active Electrical Cables: Next Generation Plug-and-Play Connectivity

David Pike, known as the Connector Geek, discusses the features, benefits and potential of AECs, including how they can enable cost-effective data center upgrades while addressing common problems like signal integrity and thermal management.

AEC vs. DAC Solutions: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Learn how AECs support high-density applications and what makes them viable solutions when compared with DACs and optical products. Discover how AECs and DACs can coexist in designs that play to the strengths of each application.

Maximizing Cable Rack Architecture

Speed, capacity and flexibility are primary concerns in rack architecture design. AECs hold the key to optimizing system architecture, enabling data centers to increase capacity in a cost-effective way while reducing energy consumption and ensuring thermal management.

Application by Industry

Cloud infrastructure
Edge-computing infrastructure
Enterprise infrastructure

This is not a definitive list of applications for this product. It represents some of the more common uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Active Electrical Cable (AEC)?

An AEC is a copper cable that uses an electronic re-timer circuit to regenerate signals, enabling a longer reach than passive DACs or linear amplifier-equipped active copper cables (ACCs).

What is the difference between AECs and ACCs?

The main difference is that AECs use a retimer to clean, reshape and amplify signals while ACCs use linear amplifiers that amplify the signal along with any noise. While AECs offer superior signal integrity and can extend transmission distances significantly compared to ACCs, the active cables offer a lower cost option that is better suited for shorter distances where signal integrity is less critical.

How can AECs help with thermal management?

AEC re-timers enable more efficient signal transmission over smaller conductors. This results in cabling from 34 to 26 AWG, allowing increased airflow and reduced thermal issues.