Arista AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M | 40GbE QSFP+ Active Optical Cable, 25m

Q: What is the difference between an Active Optical Cable (AOC) and a passive DAC cable?
A: A passive DAC (Direct Attach Copper) cable uses copper conductors and is limited to shorter distances, typically up to 7m. An Active Optical Cable like the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M uses fibre optics with integrated active electronics at each end, enabling reliable 40GbE transmission at distances up to 100m — making it ideal for cross-rack and inter-row connectivity in data centres.

Q: Which Arista switches are compatible with the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M?
A: The AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M is compatible with all Arista switches featuring QSFP+ ports and running EOS version 4.13.0 or later. It is fully system-qualified and supported by Arista, ensuring plug-and-play operation without manual configuration.

Q: Can the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M be used in breakout mode?
A: Yes. On compatible Arista platforms, this cable supports breakout to 4x10G mode, allowing a single 40GbE port to connect to four separate 10GbE devices — useful for server connectivity or aggregating lower-speed links.

Q: Can I purchase the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M in Australia from IP Trading?
A: Yes. IP Trading (iptrading.com.au) is an Australian B2B IT hardware reseller with the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M in stock and ready to ship. Orders are dispatched quickly, making it a reliable local source for Arista optical cabling.

Q: Are other lengths available in the same AOC family?
A: Yes. The Arista AOC-Q-Q-40G family covers lengths from 3 metres to 100 metres. If the 25m length does not suit your deployment, IP Trading can assist with sourcing other lengths in the same series.

Q: Is the AOC-Q-Q-40G-25M suitable for high-performance computing (HPC) environments?
A: Absolutely. The active optical design provides low-latency, high-bandwidth 40GbE connectivity with minimal signal degradation over 25 metres, making it well-suited for HPC clusters, data centre spine-leaf architectures, and storage area networks.