Arista AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M | 40GbE QSFP+ AOC, 4x 10G Channels, Plenum, 10m

Q: What devices is the AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M compatible with?
A: The AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M is compatible with any device featuring a QSFP+ port that supports 40GBase-SR4 (IEEE 802.3ba). It is natively supported on Arista switches running EOS 4.13.0 or later, and its SFF-8436 MSA compliance enables broad interoperability across other vendors' QSFP+-equipped switches, routers, and HPC equipment.

Q: What protocols does this active optical cable support?
A: The cable supports 40 Gigabit Ethernet, 10G Ethernet, InfiniBand QDR/DDR/SDR, and 4G/8G/10G Fibre Channel — making it well suited for converged data centre fabric environments where multiple traffic types share the same physical interconnect infrastructure.

Q: Why choose an Active Optical Cable (AOC) over a DAC or standard fibre transceiver?
A: AOCs combine the low latency and light weight of fibre with the plug-and-play simplicity of direct-attach copper. Unlike DAC cables, AOCs support longer reach (up to 100m for multimode), and unlike discrete transceivers with patch cords, they are pre-terminated and factory tested, reducing installation time and eliminating connector mismatch errors.

Q: Is the cable suitable for plenum or raised-floor data centre environments?
A: Yes. The AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M features an OFNP (Optical Fiber Nonconductive Plenum) rated jacket, compliant with NEC 770 fire safety standards. This makes it approved for installation in air-handling plenum spaces and raised-floor environments without requiring conduit, which is a common requirement in Australian data centres.

Q: Can I purchase this Arista AOC in Australia through IP Trading?
A: Yes. IP Trading (iptrading.com.au) is a specialist B2B IT hardware reseller supplying networking, fibre optic, and data centre equipment to Australian businesses. You can order the AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M directly through our website, with local sales support available for volume orders and project-based procurement.

Q: What is the minimum bend radius and how does this affect cable routing?
A: The AOC-Q-Q-40G-10M has a minimum bend radius of 7.5 mm, which allows tight routing through cable trays, patch panels, and under-floor runs in high-density data centre environments. Exceeding this bend radius can cause signal degradation, so cable management accessories should be used when routing around corners or through tight pathways.