Data Center Cables: Fiber, Copper, DAC/AOC and Power
Data center cabling is not one product, it is four separate physical layers that happen to share a room: fiber optic links for high-speed and long-distance runs, structured copper for access-layer and management connections, direct-attach and active optical cables for short switch-to-switch hops, and power cords and feeders that carry current rather than data. We supply all four as cable types and technical specifications, not as brands or models: fiber patch cords and MPO trunks, Cat6 through Cat8 copper, SFP/QSFP DAC and AOC assemblies, and IEC power cords through to busbar tap-offs. Tell us the port type, the distance and the quantity, and a quote comes back for exactly that.
What actually decides the right cable type
The decision is rarely about which brand looks best in a cabinet. It comes down to four physical facts that do not change no matter who manufactures the cable: the port type on each end, the distance between them, the signal speed the link has to carry, and the fire code the room falls under. A 400G switch-to-switch link three metres apart calls for a passive DAC, not fiber, because a passive copper cable costs less and draws no power at either end. The same 400G link across a hundred metres can only be fiber, because copper cannot carry that signal that far no matter the gauge. A Cat6A run to a desk switch works fine at 10G, but the same run feeding a ToR switch at 25G or more needs DAC, AOC or fiber instead, because twisted-pair copper runs out of headroom well before 100 metres at those speeds. Power cords add a fifth constraint on top of the first four: current rating and plug retention, not signal integrity, because a jumper cord that works its way loose under vibration is a bigger risk than one running slightly slower than it could. None of this changes with the manufacturer. It changes with the equipment on both ends, the room and the code.
Cable types we supply
Fiber optic
| Cable type | Technical specifications | Data center use |
|---|---|---|
| LC/SC duplex patch cord | OM3/OM4/OM5 (multimode), OS2 (singlemode); LSZH; 0.5-30 m | Server-to-switch and patch-panel links; 10G-100G |
| MPO/MTP trunk cable | Base-8 / Base-12 / Base-24; 12-144 fibers; OM4/OM5/OS2; factory-terminated | Backbone between cabinets; 40G/100G/400G parallel optics |
| MPO-LC breakout / harness | 1×MPO to 4/6/12×LC duplex | Fans an MPO trunk out to individual switch ports |
| Fiber cassette / patch panel | 1U/2U, 24-144 ports, LC/MPO adapters | High-density termination point |
Copper
| Cable type | Technical specifications | Data center use |
|---|---|---|
| Cat6 U/UTP cable + patch cord | 250 MHz, 1G; PVC/LSZH | Management network, low-speed links |
| Cat6A U/UTP, F/UTP, S/FTP | 500 MHz, 10GBASE-T to 100 m; LSZH; 23 AWG; slim 28 AWG patch cord | Server access layer at 10G, an alternative to ToR fiber |
| Cat7 / Cat7A S/FTP | 600 / 1000 MHz; GG45/TERA or RJ45 termination | High-EMI environments, long-life infrastructure |
| Cat8.1 / 8.2 | 2000 MHz, 25G/40GBASE-T to 30 m | Short in-cabinet runs at 25/40G over copper |
DAC / AOC
| Cable type | Technical specifications | Data center use |
|---|---|---|
| SFP+/SFP28 DAC | 10G/25G passive copper, 0.5-5 m; 30-26 AWG | Server-to-ToR switch, lowest cost and power draw |
| QSFP28 / QSFP56 / QSFP-DD DAC | 100G/200G/400G passive (up to 3 m) or active copper, ACC (up to 5 m); 4×25G breakout | Switch-to-switch, short spine-leaf runs |
| AOC (SFP28/QSFP28/QSFP-DD) | 25G-400G active optical, 1-100 m; light, thin cable | Mid-distance in-row / row-to-row links, no separate transceiver |
Power
| Cable type | Technical specifications | Data center use |
|---|---|---|
| IEC C13-C14 / C19-C20 jumper cords | 10A / 16A, 250V; 0.5-3 m; colour-coded; locking types (V-Lock, P-Lock) | PDU to server and switch power inlets |
| PDU input cable (whip) | IEC 60309 16/32/63A, single or three-phase; NEMA L6/L21 | From panel or busbar to the rack PDU |
| N2XH / LSZH LV power cable | 0.6/1 kV, halogen-free, CPR Cca/B2ca; 1.5-400 mm² | UPS to distribution board, then to rack rows |
| Busbar tap-off / busway cords | 63-400 A, IP54; plug-in tap box | Feeding racks from an overhead busway |
Cable types and typical technical ranges we source and configure, not a fixed catalogue or a brand list. Exact cable length, connector polarity, jacket rating and termination are confirmed against your equipment list and the applicable fire code at the quote stage.
Which one should you choose?
Fiber or copper?
Copper is cheaper and needs no optics at either end, but it runs out of reach past roughly 100 metres and past roughly 25G it needs shorter and shorter runs to stay reliable. Fiber costs more per link and needs a transceiver or a DAC/AOC assembly, but distance and speed stop being a trade-off: the same OM4 or OS2 strand carries 10G or 400G, the only difference is the optics on each end.
How many fibers in one trunk?
A Base-8 MPO trunk matches one 400G port split into breakout, Base-12 matches legacy 10G/40G LC breakout in fours, and Base-24 is for genuinely high-density backbone runs where pulling individual duplex fibers later is not an option. Oversizing the trunk now is far cheaper than pulling a second one through the same conduit in two years.
DAC, AOC or a transceiver pair?
A passive DAC is the cheapest and lowest-power option under about 3 to 5 metres, which covers most within-rack and adjacent-rack links. Past that distance, active optical cable (AOC) keeps the plug-and-play simplicity without a separate transceiver, out to around 100 metres. Beyond 100 metres, or where the two ends need different optics, a transceiver pair over structured fiber is the only option.
Cat6A or a higher copper category?
Cat6A covers 10GBASE-T to 100 metres and is the current default for a server access layer. Cat7/7A buys extra shielding against EMI in a plant room full of variable-frequency drives, not extra speed. Cat8 is a short-run specialist: it delivers 25G or 40G over copper, but only within a single cabinet or an adjacent one, not across a data hall.
Locking power cords or standard?
A standard IEC C13/C14 cord can work loose from vibration, a cable pull during maintenance, or simple thermal cycling over years, and a dropped power feed on a single-corded device is an outage. Locking variants (V-Lock, P-Lock and similar) add a physical latch at the outlet for a few percent more cost. On anything that cannot tolerate an unplanned power loss, that is not an optional upgrade.
LSZH or standard PVC jacket?
Standard PVC-jacketed cable is cheaper and fine in open, well-ventilated spaces. Low-smoke zero-halogen (LSZH) jacket costs more but releases far less toxic smoke and corrosive gas if it burns, which is why it is specified, and in many jurisdictions required, for cable run inside air-handling spaces, sealed rooms and dense overhead trays where smoke has nowhere to go.
Request a quote
Tell us the port types, the distance and how many runs, fiber, copper, DAC/AOC or power, and a quote comes back scoped to exactly that, not a generic cable list.
