Arista CAB-D-4Q-400-2.5 | 400G QSFP-DD to 4x 100G QSFP DAC Breakout Cable, 2.5m

Q: What does the CAB-D-4Q-400-2.5 connect?
A: It connects a single 400GBASE-CR8 QSFP-DD port on one end to four 100GBASE-CR2 QSFP ports on the other end, enabling 400G-to-4x100G breakout connectivity over a 2.5-metre passive Twinax copper cable.

Q: Is this an active or passive cable?
A: This is a passive Direct Attach Copper (DAC) cable. It requires no additional power circuitry, making it more cost-effective and energy-efficient than active optical alternatives for short-reach data centre connections.

Q: Which Arista EOS version is required to support this cable?
A: The CAB-D-4Q-400-2.5 requires a minimum of Arista EOS version 4.23.0. Ensure your Arista switches are running a compatible EOS release before deployment.

Q: What data centre use cases is this cable suited for?
A: It is designed for high-density data centre rack-to-rack and top-of-rack interconnects where a 400G spine port needs to fan out to four 100G leaf or server ports — a common scenario in spine-leaf architectures migrating to 400G.

Q: Can I use this cable with non-Arista equipment?
A: The cable is MSA-compliant, which provides a degree of interoperability with other vendors' QSFP-DD and QSFP ports. However, Arista validates and guarantees performance within its own ecosystem. Compatibility testing with third-party platforms is recommended before deployment.

Q: Can I purchase the Arista CAB-D-4Q-400-2.5 in Australia?
A: Yes. IP Trading stocks Arista DAC cables and networking hardware for Australian businesses. Visit iptrading.com.au or contact our team for pricing, availability, and volume purchasing options.